Foxglove and Meadowsweet
by Exalted-Dawn
Summary: Modern Flower Shop AU, M for Language: The quiet of the flower shop had never bothered Chrom much. Business was slow, but it allowed him to focus on his life of pots and plants. He marveled at how flowers opened even the most stubborn of hearts. It made all the hard work worth it. At least, that's what he had thought. Then she came into his life, bringing the storm in with her.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Storms and Snowdrops

* * *

Water fell heavily on to bending leaves, dripping into the soil below. This was not good, not good at all. Today was supposed to be cloudy, sure. But it wasn't supposed to be raining cats and dogs! He bent over a pot of orchids, hoisting them up and quickly bringing them into the small roadside store. Water dripped from his azure bangs as he again looked outside and peered up at the sky. "Gods, just what I need…"

Shaking his hair out a bit, he takes his place behind the counter and sits on an old wooden stool. The store was pretty quiet today, though he guessed that shouldn't really surprise him. It was like this every day after all.

A voice called out from the back room "Chrom! We have to do something!" A woman with blonde ponytails stumbled out from behind the curtain, carrying two more orchids in her arms. Setting them down with a huff, she turned her light green eyes up to meet the deep blue ones of the man seated on the stool, defiance burning in her gaze. "The orchids are soaked! We needed them for the Chon'sin job, but at this rate they'll be dead by morning!"

Letting out a small chuckle, Chrom shook his head in disbelief. "Well what do you propose we do? Go back in time before it started raining?" Shock spread across the young woman's face, wild yellow hair standing on end.

"We _needed_ this job, Chrom! And you just sit there _smiling_?! UNBELIEVABLE!" With a huff, the woman spun on her heel and stormed off to the back once more, muttering something about her 'stupid brother' and 'certain doom'.

Once he saw that his sister had gone upstairs to preoccupy herself with less annoying company, Chrom reached for the old landline below the countertop. Dialing in the familiar number, he brought the phone up to his ear. On the third ring, a pleasant, though disinterested, voice sounds from the other side. Not the happy-go-lucky country voice he was hoping to hear.

" **Hello? Warren Plant Nursury."**

"Hey Panne. Chrom here. Hey listen, you wouldn't happen to have-" A strict voice cuts off his hastily gathered courage.

" **Chrom. I'm sorry but I can't sell you anymore flowers until you repay us for those carnations you ordered two weeks ago."** _Damn._

"O-Okay, I _know_ I haven't completed the payment, but this is an emergency. We have a job for a banquet tomorrow, but our orchids got rained out and we'll need new ones. After I get paid, I'll have enough money for the orchids and the carnations! I promise." A moment passed before Chrom heard an exasperated sigh from the other side of the line.

" **Fine."** Relief washed over Chrom, his body already feeling lighter. **"But this is only because you and your sister have been regular customers since our opening. I can't keep making exceptions for you."**

"Of course! You're the best Panne." A scoff.

" **I don't need your flattery. I'll send Donnel with the truck. He'll be by in about 2 hours."**

With that, the line went dead. Chrom smiled to himself, humming at his small stroke of luck. Though rather stoic, Panne was a good friend. After placing the phone back on its dock, the man stood to his full height, and stretched his arms above his head. As he lowered himself back onto the rickety stool, the quietness of the shop began to take hold of him. The muted sound of rain made for a great lullaby, effectively wearing away what little resolve Chrom had for playing the 'vigilant shop owner'.

Just as his eyelids began to fall shut, the clear ring of the brass bell hanging above the door shook the drowsiness from him. Stifling a yawn, Chrom attempted to focus his gaze on the front of the store. A petite hand held the door agape, soaking the entrance with rain water. White hair, frizzy from the humidity, spilled forth from the hood of a deep purple rain coat. Several strands had escaped the ponytail at the back of her head, and were plastered to her forehead. Deep brown eyes, a shade barely lighter than onyx, burned with fire and determination.

She started forward, heels clacking against the cement floor as water pooled below her with each step. She made her way up aisle after aisle of flowers, eyes furiously scanning each and every bouquet. It was a rather novel sight, really. A woman, soaking wet, in a black evening gown and plum raincoat frantically stomping about a flower shop like a Feroxi in a tea shop. A disgruntled huff stirred Chrom from his reverie.

White strands flew in an arc as the woman whipped her head in the direction of the counter. A sudden fear came over Chrom as the anger that had been previously focused on the flowers settled on him instead. She surged forth like a tidal wave, body crashing against the counter. A hand slammed down on its surface, the sound of coins and dollar bills clattering beneath her palm. A stiff silence established itself between the two as furious orbs met with two slightly startled ones. Gathering himself, Chrom straightened his apron and cleared his throat.

"C-Can I help you, ma'am?" A pregnant pause.

"…Do you happen to have any flowers that mean 'Fuck off?"

.

.

.

"Wha-?"

* * *

A scowl broke out across the lady's face, a small growl escaping from her throat. Dark eyes searched Chrom's disoriented face, but for what, he couldn't begin to guess. "Well? Do you?" All Chrom could register was the stare boring into him, sharp and deadly as a knife. It seemed that silence wasn't the answer that the mysterious girl wanted, for a moment later she dropped her head and her body turned toward the door. Her hand dragged, bringing the pile of money with it. In that moment, Chrom's focus shifted. Suddenly, a large calloused hand found itself on top of soft fingers and the currency both. The pair stopped mid motion, gazes glued to their overlapping hands. Chrom, realizing his mistake, hastily recalled his hand, blush covering his face. Taking a moment to collect himself, Chrom cleared his throat and steeled his eye.

"U-Um well that depends on exactly what kind of… 'Fuck off'… you were looking for, miss." Chrom stepped out from behind the counter, and started down the various aisles. He first stopped at a pot filled with bunches of bright pink flowers. "Geraniums, for stupidity, like my earlier blunder." A light chuckle escaped from the girls lips. The next stop had beautiful bell flowers, stacked on a high stalk. "Foxglove, for insincerity." The next, small, delicate, white flowers. "Meadowsweet. Means uselessness." He took a turn around the corner and turned up the next aisle. "And these are Yellow Carnations and Orange Lilies. The lilies mean 'hatred' and, well, the carnations pretty much translate to 'you are a disappointment to me'. I'm afraid these are all I have to offer you. Flowers aren't much in the way of insults…"

The girl studied the flowers, a single hand to her chin, without saying a word. Chrom stood there, unsure of what to say or do. With startling speed, the woman whirled around to face him. "These'll do," she said, nodding her head in resolution, eyes unwavering. Chrom scrunched his nose and scratched his head.

"Which ones?"

"All of them, and arrange them in a nice bouquet if you can…please."

Chrom looked down at the girl in utter confusion, before releasing a heavy sigh. First the rain and the orchids, now a crazy lady as a customer. This really wasn't his day after all.

"Alright. It'll be an hour or two before it's done," Chrom muttered, defeat in his tone. He started collecting the different blossoms, ones that would last longer in a vase.

"That's fine, I can wait." Chrom turned at this, and found the woman sitting on the floor propped up against one of the cabinets. As if sensing his stare, she raised her eyes from her lap, an eyebrow lifted in challenge. "That's not a problem right?"

 _Gods, this woman._ "No, none at all."

Chrom made his way to the back of the store and tried to put the crazed woman with the hair as white as daisies out of his mind. If there was one thing that mattered to him, it was building bouquets. When he was young, he'd spend countless hours watching his older sister, Emm, weave together stem after stem, different colored petals mixing together in an elaborate dance. He repeated the same process now. Pinks, oranges, yellows, and whites clashed in striking harmony.

 _It's a shame that they're being used as a weirdly discrete insult. I pity the man that got her so pissed off that she found it necessary to say 'Fuck you' in flower language…_

Chrom lost himself in his work, carefully clipping away leaves and arranging the flowers in such a way that the colors blended to that of a sunset. Deft hands worked a pair of shears over the stems, evening out the lengths and cutting loose stale ends. Grabbing a purple ribbon, Chrom tied a bow around the stems' width, careful to make it one that will hold through whatever hell that deranged woman will put it through. Wiping the sap from his hands, the bluenette took a moment to examine his work. As he stepped back to further study the composition, a pained yelp broke his trance.

Stumbling over himself, Chrom found himself staring down at an angry red foot and a white head of hair.

"Oh Gods. I am SO sorry! Here, let me help..." Chrom scrambled to the counter to pull out a first aid kit, and in his haste knocked over a flower pot and sent dirt flying everywhere. Choosing to ignore the mess, he grabbed a jar of salve from the box and knelt down beside her. He quickly dug two fingers into the gel, and slathered it onto a band aid. Just as it seemed Chrom was about to have an embarrassing breakdown, a stifled laugh broke him of his panic. Looking up, the woman had a hand over her mouth, shoulders gently shaking.

Recognizing the confusion in his eyes, she carefully reached a hand out and swiped it across Chrom's cheek, bringing away fingers darkened by dirt. "It seems we've gotten ourselves into a bit of a mess, haven't we?" Chrom blinked away the stupefied expression on his face, and let out a chuckle of his own. "So it seems."

After helping the woman with her foot, Chrom grabbed hold of her hand and hauled her up to his chest. Quickly separating himself from her, he grabbed the bouquet and set it on the counter top. "I believe these are what you asked for." Upon seeing the intricate arrangement, a scowl took the place of the humored smile that had rested there previously. She made no move to collect it.

Clearing his throat, Chrom averted his gaze to the flowers below him. "So, why were you standing behind me when I got up?"

At this, the woman looked up at him questioningly. "You didn't notice me? I had been watching you for about forty minutes. I assumed you just didn't care."

"Oh. My bad. Whenever I start on a bouquet, I tend to get a bit absorbed in the process. My sister always said that I had more of an eye for flowers than people."

The woman's eyes settled themselves on the flowers once more, as she ran a finger over the individual petals. "It's beautiful. You're very skilled at what you do."

Such a simple statement, but the woman's eyes were clouded in doubt and sadness, portraying something far deeper. Chrom had never been good in situations like these. He could never find the right thing to say or do. That had been Emm's thing. But still, flowers were meant to be viewed with joy, not with muted agony. Chrom extended his hand, hoping to instill some sort of comfort in her, but a sound stopped him in his tracks.

The clear chime of the front bell rung, and the pair diverted their attention to the front of the shop. A man with unruly purple hair shouldered his way through the door, inviting some of the storm in with him. In each arm rested several orchids, covered in plastic to protect them from the rain. With a smile and a cordial greeting to them both, he quickly disappeared into the back room.

Chrom returned his attention to the woman, but found that she had already pulled out her wallet and was adding up the dollar bills. Hastily depositing her money before Chrom, she grabbed the bouquet and took a step back from the counter.

"Well I suppose it's about time I head out, before I get flooded in," muttering with a small smile plastered on her face. "Thank you, the flowers really are lovely."

Without so much as a word from Chrom, the mysterious lady spun around and headed for the door. She pulled up the hood on her coat and stepped out into the rain.

Before he could even think about what he was doing, the bluenette bolted out of the store and onto the side walk. Pushing strands of damp hair from his face, he spotted the familiar of bright color of geranium further up the hill. Without another moment wasted, Chrom found himself chasing after the purple rain coat.

"H-Hey! Wait! I didn't get your name!"

The figure stopped short, coat and dress swishing as she half turned in his direction. Though he could not see her face clearly, a voice broke through the incessant pounding of water on concrete.

"Robin! My name is Robin."

And in that moment, he could see it. A bright smile and crinkled, brown eyes, framed by foxglove and meadowsweet.

Robin.

* * *

Author's notes:

Hi guys! This is my first official fanfiction! It was inspired by a Flower Shop AU prompt I saw on tumblr (original post by demisexualmerrill, and supporting post by koscheiis). I hope you guys like it and let me know what you think!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Debts and Dandelions

* * *

Countless papers were spread across the tabletop, some a fresh white while others sported the yellow edging of age. Three people were gathered around the mess, displaying varying levels of dismay. A blonde woman in a yellow sundress and apron lay sprawled across the paperwork, face pressed down into a stack of crumpled envelopes and defeat evident in her form. A man with blue hair and equally blue eyes sat next to her, hands holding up his head as he struggled to focus on the work in front of him. The last, another woman, sat across from the two. She sat straight in her seat, spectacled eyes carefully skimming over page after page of bills. Though her face betrayed nothing, her stiff countenance said much about the situation at hand.

The three sat like this for hours, until finally the sharp snap of a book closing broke the silence over the room. The two siblings jolted in their seats, each whipping their heads up in comical synchronicity. The woman across from them stood, closed book in hand, and eyes shut in contemplation.

"Well I admit that your predicament certainly doesn't appear to be a beneficial one. The funds that the store is amassing are insufficient reimbursement for the magnitude of finances vital to operating an establishment such as this one." At that, the blonde groaned in frustration, fingers pulling at her hair.

"I know that this doesn't look good but can't you at least let us know that we're screwed in a language we _understand_?" At that Chrom sent her a scolding look, but he was met with an equally disgruntled one. Figuring he wasn't going to make any headway on his sister's manners today, he decided to instead address the redhead in front of him.

"I apologize for Lissa's rudeness, it seems that she needs to go back to kindergarten to learn basic etiquette." Though he refused to meet her eye, he could feel his sister staring a very angry hole through his head. "However, I'm afraid we don't really have the time or money for courtesy at the moment, if I understood your previous assessment."

The redhead adjusted her glasses, a habit she had picked up whenever attempting to overcome a difficult problem. "I'm reluctant to admit that you are correct. Based on my calculations, you scarcely managed to compensate the nursery, Stahl and myself for this month's wages. The store is understaffed, and we lack much of the basic connections needed for this sort of endeavor." Chrom looked as though he had just swallowed something bitter.

"I… try to negotiate for more business, I really do. Unfortunately diplomacy has never been my strong suit. Ever since Emm passed-"

"Chrom."

The man looked down to find his sister glaring up at him, but he could hear the plea in her voice. She didn't want to talk about it. Sighing, he resigned himself to slouch in his chair. After watching the small display between the siblings, the accountant decided that there would be no more fruitful work to be done today. The tensions were too high for efficiency.

"With your permission, I believe that we should reserve managing your deficit for another day. Vaike mentioned that he would be demonstrating how 'instinct' serves as a valuable culinary technique and he wished for me to observe. It would not do for me to be anything but punctual."

Chrom looked up at the redhead, a tired smile demonstrating his gratitude. "Of course Miriel. I'm sorry if we kept you. Go enjoy your dinner with Vaike."

Miriel bobbed her head in a quick movement, short hair barely swaying out of place. Though she seemed the picture of perfect refinement, Chrom caught the slight tinge of red on his accountant's cheek as she hurriedly exited through the back door. _At least she found something other than math to look forward to._

Chuckling to himself, the florist directed his attention to his younger sister. She was again resting her head on top of a stack of electricity bills, a pout very visible on her face. Chrom stood, ruffling his sister's hair on the way up. Making his way to the door, he decided that there was at least one thing he could do to improve her foul mood.

"Hey, I'm going to the store to go pick us up some dinner. Do you want anything in particular?"

Lissa didn't even so much as twitch, so he continued to make his way to the storefront. Just as he pushed aside the curtain, the sound of a stomach grumbling stopped him in his tracks.

At that, Lissa let out a small whimper. "…Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream?"

An amused grin already threatening to make it onto his face, Chrom tried to stop his mouth from twitching as he turned his head to look back at his sister. "Of course. I'll be right back, okay? Watch the store for me."

Lissa gave him a weak thumbs up, not even bothering to lift her head. He continued to the front of the store, grabbing an umbrella just in case the weather chose to turn for the worse, like it had been for the past few days. With a final check to his pocket, confirming that he did in fact have his wallet with him, Chrom stepped outside and made his way up the road.

* * *

Chrom was currently in line at the register of a small grocery market that was a handful of blocks from home. A small basket was nestled into the crook of his elbow, threatening to spill its contents with every shift of Chrom's arm. Inside laid an assortment of different foods. Several miscellaneous frozen dinners, some cans of soup, and about five oranges were crammed together, with a single pint of cookie dough ice cream resting on top. As the line moved forward, Chrom shifted his weight, almost sending two oranges toppling to the floor. A large package of water bottles rested on his shoulder, making the already slow progress to check out seem unbearable.

The call for 'Next in line!' couldn't make his feet move fast enough, as the florist stumbled forward nearly spilling everything onto the counter and cashier both. The man behind the register, or should he say boy, looked a bit bewildered but quickly went about scanning and bagging the contents of the basket. Chrom pulled his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans, leafing through the pockets to count his cash. Looking back up at the register, he frowned a bit at the price on the screen.

 _$ 20.34._

Chrom wondered if there was any way he could just photosynthesize like a plant. If he could cut out eating expenses from his life, maybe the store wouldn't be struggling so much. _Stupid human digestive system._

Pulling out a twenty and a five, Chrom set the money down on the counter.

"Keep the change, kid. Maybe put yourself through college." He stacked his bags on top of the waters and made for the exit, paying the cashier no mind as he yelled something about not being a child. Pushing his back up against the door, the bluenette put all his focus into keeping his food balanced in front of his face. Backing out onto the sidewalk, he attempted to face forward and begin his long trek home. As he placed a foot in front of himself, something caught beneath it and made him lose balance. Groceries, umbrella, and water all went flying, as Chrom landed flat on his ass, hands barely preventing him from hitting his skull against the concrete. Before he could even comprehend what was happening next, his ears were greeted by a sharp yelp. A familiar noise.

"HEY! Why don't you watch where you're- Oh." As Chrom pried open his eyes, he was surprised to be greeted with those same brown eyes that appeared in the midst of a storm a few days back. More surprising still was the fact that Robin sat, nearly on top of him, hand raised in a fist. She wore the same evening gown and purple rain coat, except this time there was a slight bruise across the corner of her mouth. Quickly lowering her hand and backing off, Robin perched herself at the edge of the curb. Now that Chrom had the chance to collect himself and his belongings, he noticed that she was nursing a hand to her chest.

She was staring at him through her lashes, eyes scoping him up and down in skepticism. She was waiting for something.

"OH! Oh I'm _so_ sorry! Gods what is _wrong_ with me." She watched him flounder for a bit more before finally relaxing her stance.

"You know, you really should watch your step better. We've met twice now and not once have I been left uninjured by the bottom of your foot." Though it was meant to be scolding, Chrom heard the sarcasm laced into her voice and saw a small smile edging on the corner of her lips. He released a sigh. _She's not mad._

Still, he felt horrible for what he did. He didn't like the outlook of his track record with women if this was going to be a regular thing with him.

Both of them stood to their full height, Chrom taking a little longer due to his groceries needing some rearranging. He hefted the water over his shoulder in order to get a better look at the person in front of him.

Robin dragged her foot back and forth across the floor, hands tucked behind her back. She was looking down, obviously trying to decide on something to say if the wrinkle in her brow was anything to go by. Aside from his previous observation that she had been wearing the same weird outfit as when they first met, he was starting to realize other off things about her appearance.

Her clothes and shoes were caked with mud, and her dress seemed to still carry the weight of water in it. Her hair was even messier than the last time he had seen it, as it now cascaded down her back in tangled loops, freed from its ponytail. Dark circles hung from her eyes and there was dirt jammed beneath her finger nails. However, aside from the small mark on her face, she still seemed physically okay.

Chrom was trying to figure out whether or not to say anything. To him, it was obvious that Robin was not in a very good situation. But his sisters had always warned him to never outright tell a woman that she looked horrible, and after seeing Robin's temper, he really had no desire to face it head on.

"Hey."

Chrom startled from his thoughts. Robin was staring him in the face, albeit she looked a bit uncomfortable. "Those…look heavy," her eyes motioning to the groceries in his arms. "Do you need help carrying them back? It's okay if you don't, I was just offering and-"

"Yeah. That'd be great. I have frozens that need to get back, so I could really use the help." Chrom offered up a small grin.

Robin nodded a bit, seemingly relieved with the fact that the florist found nothing suspicious about her question. She grabbed the two plastic bags and the umbrella from Chrom's arms, freeing up his other hand to carry the water better. He set the pace, confidently striding down the road as he finally began to make his way home. Robin followed a few paces behind, easily keeping up with Chrom's longer strides.

She hadn't really seemed too interested in talking, though she still carried a hint of trepidation in her features. The florist struggled to find something to talk about. It was a long walk back, and Chrom didn't think he could handle the silence when he practically _felt_ Robin's focus on back of his head. So he simply blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"Y-you know! I could let you step on my foot if it'd make you feel better…?" The sentence trailed off, sounding more like a dying question towards the end. Chrom blinked.

 _What the hell was THAT? Step on my FOOT? Gods she must think I'm some sort of masochist! What is wrong with me? Why can't I just-_

Before another thought could shoot through his mind, a snort loud enough to rival his sister's sounded behind him. Whipping his head back around, he found Robin doubled over, red in the face and with two hands clamped over her mouth.

As she registered the horrified expression on Chrom's face, she lost the last bit of restraint she'd managed to gather. Tears spilled from her eyes as the woman broke down and burst out laughing. All Chrom could do was tuck his reddening face into his collar and hope no one was around to see.

* * *

After Robin collected herself, the walk home seemed to become much easier. Conversation flowed between the two as they walked side by side, exchanging stories and jokes along the way. Despite Chrom's initial impressions of the girl, she had managed to surprise him. Not only did she have the ability to switch from amused to fuming in a heartbeat, but she was extremely witty and sharp.

If Chrom made even the smallest blunder in speech or mannerism, she was always quick to point it out and make a jab at him. The man didn't mind the teasing though. It was nice to see some of her fiery temper returned to her, and Chrom found that he rather liked this side of Robin. She seemed much happier making jokes about his two left feet than she had been back on the curb of the grocery store. Even if it was at his own expense, Chrom counted it as a small victory.

After a bit more walking, the flower shop finally came into view. Flowers hung from a small awning, and various pots sat lined up against the outside wall. Dark metal, molded into the form of twisting vines, sprouted from above the door. Below it dangled a small wooden sign with the words 'The Shepherd's Bell Flower Shop' in bright gold script.

Shouldering the door open, Chrom allowed Robin first dibs to the air-conditioning before following in soon after. When he found her, Robin was standing in the middle of the store, groceries in hand. For the first time, her eyes wandered about in appreciation of the varying colors, her vision now clear of rage that had clouded it on her last visit.

A man with brown hair manned the counter, a pleasant smile upon his face. Upon seeing Chrom, he perked up a bit, sending him a small wave. Chrom, however did not seem to share the friendly sentiments.

"Stahl? You didn't have a shift today. Where's Lissa?" Chrom asked with a tilted brow.

"Oh! She called me in about ten minutes ago. Said something about how you were taking too long so she decided to head over to Maribelle's." At that, Chrom rolled his eyes.

"Alright, well when she comes back tell her that she'll be lucky if her ice cream isn't gone by then," he said with half joking, half seriousness in his tone. He then added in a voice only Robin was close enough to hear, "Maybe she'll finally learn some patience…"

* * *

With that last remark, Chrom strode behind the counter, and Robin quickly caught the hint that she was to follow along. Giving a passing nod to the man, Stahl, she trailed the blue haired florist into a cramped back room. There were papers strewn across a table that sat in the center of the space, and various gardening supplies lined the walls. Paying no mind to the mess, Chrom took an immediate right turn up a set of steep, wooden steps. Robin took a single swift glace back at the room before moving along. The stairs creaked under the weight of both people, and Robin seemed sure that for a second the floor would fall out from under her.

As she was preoccupied with watching her feet, she hadn't noticed Chrom come to a stop in front of her at the top of the stairs. So when Robin's face found itself a hair's breathe away from the shoulder blades of an unsuspecting florist, she had to do everything in her power to not reel back and take a trip to the bottom of the stairwell. Luckily before he could notice her uncomfortable proximity, Chrom managed to stop fiddling with his keys and unlock the door that separated the flower shop from the building's second story.

The two stepped into an airy living room. Despite the small piles of clutter and mess scattered about, Robin could feel a sense of comfort that only a well lived in home exuded. The room had a sitting area with a plush couch and two complimenting seats. A coffee table scattered with outdated magazines and stained coasters sat in the middle of the set up, and a TV was pushed up against the wall. Beyond that was a small kitchen and a round table large enough to seat four people. A narrow hallway led to the back of the apartment, where she assumed the bedrooms were. Overall, it wasn't an overly impressive home, but to Robin, the place seemed to vibrate with life.

Finally having the opportunity to rest his arms, Chrom merrily let the waters drop onto the countertop with a loud thud. He turned to face Robin, rolling his shoulders in a weak attempt to try and relieve some tension from his muscles.

"You can just put the bags on the table. I'll get to those after I rest my arms a bit." Walking around the small island, Chrom flopped over the top of the couch and shut his eyes in serene bliss. Robin cleared her throat.

"Sorry to take you away from your 'me time', but I think if you leave this ice cream out any longer, you may as well drink it," said Robin, a slight scoff in her voice as she lifted the brown plastic bag. Chrom released a strained groan, but did nothing more except snuggle deeper into the cushions.

Trying to prevent herself from dragging him off the couch, Robin opted to simply put the food away herself. So what if she was in some random guys home, she couldn't just watch as perfectly good ice cream went to waste. Making herself comfortable in the kitchen, she quickly jammed the frozen dinners and the half liquefied dessert into the freezer. She pried open the fridge to put away the oranges and water next, but she was shocked by the sorry state of what laid inside. A multitude of leftovers littered the shelves, and a half eaten moldy loaf of bread lay forgotten behind a six pack of beer. Robin quickly stowed the food and slammed the refrigerator shut, skin already itching from the need to reorganize. When she finished loading the soup cans into the cabinet above the stove, the woman turned to find Chrom sitting up, with a simple grin on his face.

"You do realize that you appear to have been staring at my ass, right?" Robin said, deadpanning.

Chrom, rather used to the woman's teasing by now, only made a disgruntled pout, almost like a child. "And you realize that not all men are scum who look at a woman as if they're meat, right?" A hint of jest in his voice. "I was just going to thank you for putting my food away. You didn't have to do that."

Robin plopped herself down on one of the recliners next to Chrom. "Honestly I think if I didn't I might have gone mad. I know we just met, but I can't help the feeling that you aren't the best at taking care of yourself." She waved a hand in the direction of the kitchen, referencing the warzone in the fridge. To that, Chrom just shrugged a bit.

"Eh, maybe so. But what matters is that I am now in your debt. As fair compensation, I'd be willing to lend you my shower and a spare set of clothes while we clean up your dress, hm?"

Robin turned her head to ponder Chrom's suggestion. While the prospect of undressing in a stranger's home definitely wasn't all that appealing on paper, the grit on her skin made for a convincing counterargument. Furthermore, she hadn't sensed any bad intentions coming from Chrom since coming here. The man was so apparent with his feelings that she could read him like an open book. And honestly, she felt like she could trust him. He hadn't once questioned her state of dress nor probed too deep about why she was hanging out alone on the curb of a grocery store.

 _Well I guess that decided that._

She looked back up at Chrom, offering a small smile "Yeah, I think I could use a nice bath right about now."

* * *

Night had fallen by the time Robin finished bathing. The two sat at a table, the sound of chewing and the muffled tumble of a dryer the only thing audible in the room. Chrom and Robin were seated across from each other, both focused on consuming whatever leftovers they could scour from the refrigerator.

Robin sat in a large, navy jacket and loose sweatpants, taking measured bites of day old chow mein. In the yellowed light of the apartment, the bruise on her cheek took on an uglier shade of green, and Robin's pale skin definitely didn't help to obscure it. Chrom was in mid-bite of his slice of pizza when he flicked his eyes from Robin's mouth to her eyes. Eyes that were looking back at him. He'd been caught staring.

Chrom dropped his gaze quickly and began to shove the pizza into his mouth with more gusto. Robin set down her set of chopsticks and looked across at the man with tired judgement.

"You aren't going to ask about it?" said Robin, her tone betraying her exhaustion.

Chrom slowly raised his eyes, like a guilty child caught in the act of being up past his bed time. Swallowing his food, he took the time to wipe his face of red sauce before answering.

"Well, I don't really see why I should. You don't have an obligation to tell some man you've hardly known for a week what's going on in your life."

"And yet, you chose to invite a woman you've hardly known for a week into your home? You didn't have any obligation to help either," Robin mumbled.

"Hmmmm, yeah. But I've always thought that if you could help someone, you should at least try extending your hand to them. You never know how a small gesture can change the life of another…" The sentence trailed off, but only because of the seriousness of the discussion. Chrom didn't talk to many people about his beliefs or personal thoughts, as he was used to keeping his troubles to himself. But something about the woman who sat before him made him feel like opening up, if not for his sake than for hers. "At least, that's what my sister had always said."

Robin met his gaze, curiosity a dull glow in her eyes. "You have a sister?"

"Yeah, I had two actually. Though one isn't with us anymore." As he finished his sentence he recognized guilt flooding over Robin's face, an apology already on her tongue, and hurried to correct himself. "B-but it's okay now! It was a long time ago, and she wouldn't have wanted us to be sad forever. When I remember her, I try to do so with fondness."

Robin looked down and breathed a small 'ah'.

Chrom scrambled to distract Robin from her thoughts. "Regardless, it's no trouble for me to help out someone who needs it. Feel free to do what makes you most comfortable-"

"I had a fight with my father." He had stopped mid-movement, slowly relaxing himself so that he wouldn't make her feel uncomfortable.

"Oh."

"And I hit him. With the bouquet."

" _Oh._ " Chrom didn't really know what to say to that, so he sat there like a slack-jawed village idiot.

Robin gingerly raised two fingers to the mark beside her mouth. "This was supposed to be a reminder of my place. I think he just forgot that he was wearing a ring."

A scowl soured Chrom's face. His own father had never been described as a particularly 'friendly' guy, but even he had never felt the need to physically discipline his children. However, the way Robin referred to it had made the act sound like a regular occurrence. Silence sat heavy in the air like the humidity after a summer storm. Chrom was the first one to break the stillness.

"So you ran away." It was a statement. The fact that Robin didn't even twitch in denial further confirmed his words.

"I have been 'the perfect daughter' for all twenty four years of my life. I'm done with that." The resolution in her tone was solid. Whatever had tipped Robin past the edge was enough to force her into becoming a runaway, and Chrom couldn't find it in himself to argue against that decision.

He let out a huff in second hand indignation. "Well I hope that my bouquet was at least able to make his pollen allergies act up or something."

That at least brought a smile to her face. "Yeah, maybe."

Chrom scratched the back of his head, his pizza cold and long forgotten on the plate beneath him. "Do you have a place to stay? Any friends nearby?" he asked with concern.

She thought for a moment. "Hmmm, yeah. But I've been getting a lot of text messages from them. They say my father has been by each of their places several times already. I don't think I'll be able to lay low with them until he cools his head a bit."

Chrom considered his options. Now that he knew the situation, he couldn't just throw her out with the bath water. But he also didn't have enough money to put her up in a hotel, and he was sure that if she had the cash she would have done so by now. He could check with his landlord, Frederick, if there were any spare rooms she could stay in, but Chrom already owed him so many favors. He didn't want to take advantage of the man's kindness any more than he already had. That left him with only one alternative.

"You could stay here with me…?"

As the words left his lips, the door to the stairs slammed open. A woman with shoulder length, blonde pigtails stood in the threshold, eyes and mouth gaping. Her face was red and her shoulders heaved, presumably from running up the stairs. Blue green eyes, so light they were almost gray, scanned the room at a dizzying pace before they rested on a dumbfounded Robin.

Chrom's chair clattered behind him as he pushed himself to a standing position. However, before he could even open his mouth to protest, an ear-shattering shriek filled the apartment.

"CHROM! YOU REALLY _DID_ BRING A GIRL HOME!"

 _Oh Naga, why me._

* * *

 _A/N: Hey guys! Here's the second chapter! Yay! Pray that Robin and Chrom survive the force of nature that is Lissa. Sorry if it was a bit slow, I promise that the story will pick up from here._

 _For reference, I'm just gonna say the general ages for some of the characters already introduced._

 _Chrom:25_

 _Robin:24_

 _Lissa:22_

Stahl:~27

Frederick: 32

More ages to be released later!

Thanks again for reading and I hope you guys enjoyed!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Beginnings and Betony

* * *

A week's advance notice couldn't have prepared Robin for the onslaught of questions that Lissa threw at her. Before she could even comprehend one question, two more were already flying out of the blonde's mouth. _'When did you two start dating? How did you meet? What do you do for a living? How the hell did my brother even manage-?"_

Chrom had to physically pry Lissa from Robin's hands and drag her to the other side of the room before she could calm down enough to listen to her brother's explanation.

"I _told_ you! I've hardly even known the woman for a week!"

Lissa rolled her eyes. "Uh-huh. And you expect me to believe that?"

"Why wouldn't you?!" Chrom blurted.

"Chrom. I may be your baby sister but even I'm not blind enough to not notice that she's wearing your favorite sweatshirt. Everybody and their mother knows what that means," A cocky smirk spread across Lissa's lips, a look of complete victory in her eyes as Chrom fumbled at his sister's accusation. The meaning in Lissa's words hadn't been lost on the pair. Robin held in a small chuckle. She had to admit, the young lady had a good point.

"That's-That's just a coincidence! She had mud on her clothes and I-"

"Yeah sure, whatever. And I suppose it's just ' _coincidence'_ that she helped you carry in the groceries? You do realize this is the first time you've brought someone home with you in like 10 years right?" Lissa's taunting seemed to only drive her brother into further embarrassment. He was quickly losing any credibility that he had to offer and he knew it. Chrom was stuttering and red in the face. He looked between his sister and the woman at the table, who now had a look of bemused incredibility on her face. Robin knew he was looking for her to make some sort of denial of his sister's claims, but honestly she was enjoying Chrom's desperation a little too much to do so.

Chrom, realizing that he had been defeated, left the room in a huff to go check on the laundry. Lissa half-skipped over to the kitchen, retrieving the pint of ice cream Robin had rescued and two spoons. She returned to the table and sat herself down in the adjacent chair. Accepting the extra spoon, Robin decided to try and salvage Chrom's honor.

"We really aren't dating, you know. Your brother was just trying to help me out."

Lissa let out a very un-ladylike snort, before shoving a mouthful of cookie dough ice cream into her mouth. "Oh yeah, I know. There's no way that he could be anyone's boyfriend. My brother can't even have a coherent conversation with a rock let alone a woman." She offered a sunny smile as she held out her hand to shake. "I'm Lissa by the way. I work here as a cashier."

Robin extended a hand, and returned a casual grin of her own.

"Robin Dohlr. A pleasure to meet you."

Lissa cocked an eyebrow. "Wait. Dohlr as in-"

"Lissa?" Chrom walked out, carrying the black evening gown over his arm, as well as a box of thread and sewing needles. He held up the garment so that a large tear on the dress' flounce could be seen, a quarter of it messily stitched together in seemingly earnest determination. The florist gave a sheepish smile, trying to hide his embarrassment at the scrutiny in Lissa's gaze.

The small blonde strode over to her brother, snatching both the gown and the box from his hands.

"Honestly Chrom! I know you mean well, but you'll only end up ruining it more. Let me handle it!" she said with a huff. Chrom stared after her as the determined girl stormed down the hall and shut the door to, what Robin assumed to be, her room. More perplexed than offended, Chrom called out after her.

"But you don't know how to sew either!"

Immediately after, Robin heard something about 'calling Maribelle', but she couldn't be sure since the closed door to Lissa's room muffled her response. However, Chrom was seemingly satisfied with that as he dropped his argument and instead turned to Robin. Casually running his fingers through his dark blue bangs, he let out a small sigh as he once again took his place at the table.

"Hey, I'm sorry about her. She tends to get over excited about new people, but it's especially bad when she thinks it concerns my love life. I hope she didn't make you feel uncomfortable." His eyes traveled up from the table to meet Robin's. Though his words seemed to scorn Lissa, his face betrayed the subtle warmth in his gaze.

A familiar sting in Robin's chest made itself known as she considered the relationship between the two siblings. Though they had done nothing but bicker since Lissa got home, it was obvious to Robin that they trusted each other more than most families she knew. It was a sad thing to envy.

"Um?"

Robin startled. She looked up to see Chrom shifting uncomfortably in his seat, worry in his eyes. "She didn't actually do anything to make you upset right? Because if she did, I can-"

"N-No! Lissa was great!" Robin was relieved to see Chrom relax slightly. She continued, "She seemed very nice. Given the chance, I'd love to sit and talk with her more. It's just, seeing you two made me miss my sister a little…"

Chrom digested the new information with open curiosity. Though he made no move to press her about the statement, Robin could tell it was somewhat of an effort for him not to. So she went on.

"I don't get to see her often. We aren't particularly close or anything, but she is the one who understands me most, I guess. She always kept me company when I needed it." Robin stumbled on her explanation. She wasn't used to openly discussing her home life with others, let alone complete strangers. She barely knew the man and yet he made her feel as though they've been friends since childhood. Robin suspected it had something to do with the fact that Chrom was so forthcoming and genuine. It didn't feel right closing herself up to someone who broadcasted his emotions for everyone to see. He was honest with her so she'd been honest with him. Simple.

"So she's your older sister then?" Seeing the trepidation in her eyes, Chrom knew he hit the nail on the head. "You sounded like you've had to rely on her before. No offense to little sisters, but I think we just naturally look to our older siblings for help," punctuating his statement with a shrug.

 _For someone so thickheaded, he isn't bad at picking up on other people's feelings._

Robin repeated his question back at him, though a bit timidly. "Your other sister-"

"Emmeryn." Chrom interrupted.

"Emmeryn…was your older sister, right? You said 'our'…" She questioned. Chrom's head angled down, and he was focused on the hands in his lap. Though he was smiling, it didn't reach his eyes. He nodded a bit and without looking up, proceeded to answer her.

"Yeah, and she was the best one anyone could ask for."

That statement sat between the two like a brick wall. It was heavy and immovable. Not something up for debate or question. For him, it simply was. Robin didn't know what to say. She felt like an intruder now for the first time. Just before she had been open to discuss her deepest feelings, and now it felt like that had been cut with a knife.

 _What am I doing here?_

She was just some woman in this man's home. A man who loved his two sisters dearly. A man who lost one of them, and who teased and joked with the other. A man who fumbled with his words and was clumsy beyond belief, but who always had the best intentions. But he was a man with his own problems and own feelings.

She stood, chair scraping against the floor at the force of her movement. She needed to leave. Now.

Before, this had been an illusion to her. A miraculous occurrence that she had gone along with because she felt lost and he had shown her a way out. But no. This was real. Very, very real. This man was sitting before her, opening his heart and home to a complete stranger. He was trusting her, and she knew she trusted him. This was too real for her. And reality was never this easy.

Robin strode for the door, barely keeping herself from bolting for it. She didn't stop when Chrom raised his head, questions falling from his lips. She didn't stop to see the alarm in his eyes. She didn't stop when he got up to follow her. She didn't stop, even if she wanted to. She had to go.

Her hand clamped down on the brass knob.

" _Robin, wait!"_

* * *

The clamor caused by Robin's sudden movement is what shook him from his thoughts.

"Wha?"

Before he could gather what had happened the woman seated before him had vanished, already halfway across the room. The only thing that had registered was the distress in her eyes as she turned for the door.

He felt himself rise from his seat, his body moving without his consent.

" _Robin, wait!"_

He was next to her now, hand resting on her shoulder, and tried to get her to turn and look at him. She stubbornly refused to meet his gaze, but didn't pull away from his touch. She mumbled something under her breath, head tucked into the deep blue hood of Chrom's sweatshirt.

"What was that? Robin, if this is about Emm, it's oka-"

She spoke louder this time.

"I need to go. Thank you for your help."

She pried open the door, making quick work of the steps. But Chrom was on her heels, worry seeping off of him in waves.

"Go? I thought you said that you didn't have anywhere to go?" He offered.

"I don't. I just shouldn't be _here_." She hit the bottom floor and walked out into the back room. Chrom tried to catch up to her, stumbling after her brisk pace. She was moving too fast for him to understand what was going on. Stahl poked his head into the room at their voices, but Chrom quickly shoed him away before Robin could see.

"Why not? I mean, I know the apartment isn't the cleanest, but it has an extra room and it blocks out the rain. And I'm sure Lissa would be glad to have another girl around to talk to." He rambled on, hoping that something would get Robin to relax and explain to him what was wrong.

Though she still evaded eye contact, she had stopped moving and allowed Chrom to move in front of her. Now that he had a clearer view of her face, the florist could tell that she was struggling to find the right words to express herself with. He waited as she worked out her thoughts, a careful distance set between them so that he wouldn't spook her. Finally, she addressed him, her voice almost cracking with the effort.

"I'm- I'm just some person that decided to follow you home. An intruder. You…have a life. One without me in it. There's no reason as to why you should let someone like me in." She finished. Chrom thought for a bit on her words, trying his best to carefully consider the situation. However, he never was good at delicate wording.

.

"Do I need a reason?"

Her head shot up.

"Wha-?"

He crossed his arms, eyebrows furrowed in thought. Her reasoning confused him.

"If someone needs help, why would you need any other reason to do so? Isn't it natural to just…help?"

Her jaw hung half open, empty of any response. Her disbelieving stare made him increasingly uncomfortable.

"…Is…that weird?"

A small 'pfft' reached Chrom's ears.

Robin swiftly moved to cover her mouth, but the laugh had escaped before she could help herself.

"Um…?" Chrom wasn't really sure what to do. One moment Robin is on the verge of tears and the next she's choking down a chuckle?

 _At least she's visibly relaxed now._

Robin took a moment to reorganize her thoughts and calm herself. Finally, she responded, an edge of laughter still in her voice.

"Yeah. It's weird. Really weird. You're barely surviving off of scraps and moldy bread, and somehow you can still find it in yourself to welcome a complete stranger into your home? I'm not sure if you know this, but there are people out there who make six figures a year and still wouldn't do as much." Robin went silent and dropped her gaze. The next statement came out like a whisper.

"…It's really alright for me to stay?"

Her eyes darted up to meet his, hope and suspicion both evident in her gaze. If the past few hours were any indication, life was about to get a lot more hectic. But he never was one to turn down an adventure. With a wide grin, Chrom met Robin's challenge head on.

"Of course." He extended a hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you stranger. The name's Chrom."

.

.

.

"Well that took you long enough."

Chrom blinked. "Wait what?"

Robin scoffed. "Your name. That was the first time you actually introduced yourself."

"Oh."

Chrom's hand hung awkwardly between them. He was considering hiding in shame at the moment, but ultimately decided to at least pretend he had some dignity left.

She placed her hand in his, bringing it down in a solid shake.

"You can call me Robin, but then again, you already knew that."

* * *

"No."

 _Again._

"Definitely not."

 _Ugh. When will this torture end?_

"Is that even a color?"

 _Apparently never._

"Can't I just walk around naked?! It'd be a lot less painful than having to sit through this." Robin retorted.

She, Lissa, and a stiff woman named Maribelle had been stuck picking out outfits for the runaway for almost two hours now. Unfortunately, despite having ransacked Maribelle's extensive collection of clothes, Robin only had a handful of shirts and a single pair of jeans that had managed to make it into the 'approved' pile.

Lissa gave a dissatisfied snort.

"No. Nudity is bad for business. And so is my brother's hand-me-downs. We'll just have to keep looking until we find a suitable wardrobe for you." Swirling her finger in a circle, Chrom's sister motioned for Robin to turn herself around to go try on more of Maribelle's suggestions. Robin, despite shooting the other girls a resentful glare, marched into the closet once more, and slammed the doors behind her.

After a few more moments she reemerged, this time in an over-the-shoulder lavender slip that barely managed to cover her thighs. Robin watched with dread as Lissa's eyes lit up.

"No. No, no, no, no, no. This is hardly appropriate for working at a florist's and you know it!" She argued. But it seems that her plea fell on deaf ears.

Lissa screeched. "But it's _COMPLETELY_ appropriate for a night out on the town! And honestly, that color really suits you." Robin balked.

"A night out on the town? I don't know if you're aware but I'm not exactly on vacation or anything. When am I ever gonna need to wear this?"

Lissa shrugged. "I dunno if you've looked at yourself recently Robin, but you're kinda hot. I wouldn't be surprised if we started having customers come in just to spend even a moment in your exalted presence," She said with a dramatic wave of a hand. "It'd never hurt to have something to wear to a date night." Robin rolled her eyes.

' _Exalted presence' my ass._

She tried a different approach. "Surely I couldn't keep something so nice. Maribelle is already being kind enough as it is and I honestly don't need to take more than necessary."

Maribelle let out a small huff. "Hmph. Nonsense. As I've reminded you, these are all clothes that I no longer wear and are yours for the taking. And seeing as how my darling Lissa asked so nicely for me to clothe you, I can't be having you walk around dressed like a barbarian."

She beckoned for Robin to hand over the dress. Quickly shucking it off of her body, she tossed the article to Lissa who folded it neatly before adding it onto her pile. As she retreated back to the safety of the closet, Maribelle called out behind her.

"Plus, if I had legs like yours, I'd take every chance to show them off."

With a grunt, Robin slammed the closet doors shut.

* * *

In the end, Robin had made away with a hefty load of Maribelle's clothes. Eight shirts, three pairs of jeans, two pairs of shorts, a long sleeve jacket, a tank top-skirt combo, about 4 different pairs of shoes, and the lavender slip.

Though she was grateful for the blonde's generosity, she was happy to be back in the comfort of her borrowed sweats. She'd pick comfort over style any day.

Lissa and Robin were heading back to the Shepherd's Bell, bags stuffed full with the so-called 'loot' dangling from their arms. Lissa was humming a tune to herself, and seemed perfectly content with how today's excursion went. Robin trailed behind her, pulled along in Lissa's wake.

It wasn't long until the two made it back to the flower shop, both hiding away from the Ylissean heat that summer always brought. Lissa was quick to excuse herself for a glass of iced honey milk tea, leaving Robin to stow her new outfits on her own.

She nudged open the door to her recently acquired room with her foot. It swung wide to reveal a modest sized space, complete with a full sized bed, a dresser, and even a small book shelf. The walls were painted in a golden cream color, and they were accented with light green from the bed sheets and curtains. A small window opened onto a fire escape, which was currently being used as a shelf for various herbs and flowers. Though Chrom had insisted that no one was using it, the room seemed to be well taken care of.

She let herself fall onto the bed, prying Chrom's clunky sneakers from her feet. The one thing that she had been happy to take with her from Maribelle's was a pair of comfy flip flops. Now she no longer had just the options of high heels or running shoes that were three sizes too big for her.

After she allowed the AC to restore a bit of her stamina, she sat up and carefully put away the clothes gifted to her. Maribelle had been quick to mention that if she saw even the slightest wrinkle out of place, she'd be perfectly willing to spend another two and a half hours with Robin discussing the importance of appearance. And while she did prefer convenience, Robin was smart enough to tell an actual threat from a bluff.

After she was done organizing the drawers, Robin decided that it was best if she head downstairs and begin studying. From today on, she was an official employee of the Shepherd's Bell, and she knew next to nothing about anything plant related. She had even managed to kill a cactus once, which according to Gaius had been somewhat if an amazing feat. If only he could see her now.

The job had been her idea of course. When Robin had first mentioned that she wanted to work for her room, Chrom shot her down immediately. He offered up some weak argument about the basics of Ylissean hospitality and how you should never burden a guest with your own troubles. That explanation just bothered Robin more. Even though Chrom had insisted she could stay without him needing a reason to keep her around, she felt wrong just lounging on the sofa while the two siblings worked hard to keep up their style of life. And so, she went about the week trying to convince the florist of her worth as an employee.

Every time the two talked, she'd try and bring up the job opening. However, Chrom would just smile, politely decline, and then not so subtly change the subject. When she found that wouldn't work, she decided to try to convince him through action. She got up early the next day to sweep the floors and wash the windows, but that plan just ended up back firing. Once Chrom took notice, he just started getting up before her to get the work done first. Robin even thought about using his own documentation against him to prove that he was understaffed, but she quickly determined that it would take her two years to find what she needed from the mess of paperwork littered about the back room. It wasn't until, as a last resort, Robin had tried sleeping on the sidewalk that Chrom had finally relented to her request, though that didn't stop him from moping for almost an hour afterwards.

* * *

Today was her lesson on flower care with Stahl. She had tried to get Lissa to teach her, but discovered that 'eyeballing it' would be a little tough until she learned proper measurements for soil and water. She thought about asking Chrom, but whenever she found him, he was either preoccupied with bouquet arrangement or practically crying over paperwork. So that left her with Stahl.

She had quickly found out that she rather liked Stahl. He was a gentle kind of quiet, but was always eager to help Robin if she had any questions. It turned out that his family owned a pharmacy that specialized in plant based medicines, so Stahl had quite a bit of experience in botany. The two kept up pleasant conversation, with the man interrupting their chat whenever he had pointers to share with Robin as they went about their work.

Though she considered herself to have an above average memory, Robin was struggling to contain all the information being thrown at her. There was soil tilling, sunlight exposure, watering frequency, and types of flower food, all of which were specific for each species of flower. The worst part was that that was only care for potted plants. Stahl explained that in order to run a flower shop, one also trained themselves in fresh cut plant care, flower language, and bouquet arrangement. Robin's head was already spinning. How in Naga's name were Chrom and Lissa able to manage all this?

The day passed by as Stahl patiently mentored Robin in the art of plant care. A few customers came in for small purchases, but Robin was only trusted to man the register during those times and that left the brunette to do the actual selling. She watched on as he chatted up various buyers, strolling about the store showing off flowers while keeping a steady stream of conversation flowing. Stahl seemed to be able to get along with anyone in a matter of moments, and by the time the guests left the store they all had smiles on their faces. Mirroring their expressions, he sent off a small family of three with a wave. To Robin, it looked like he was genuinely enjoying himself.

"Hey, Stahl."

The man half turned, head tilted in question. "Hm?"

"You said you used to work for your family's place, right? How did you end up working as a florist?" She pondered.

Stahl let out a nervous laugh, hand reaching up to ruffle the hair at the back of his head. "Ahahaha… Funny story about that." He walked around the counter and sat down on a wooden crate. "You see, I actually came here as a customer years ago. I had been fretting about asking out a girl I really liked, and I thought that I should get some flowers for her to better express how I felt." He looked up to see if Robin was still following along. She nodded her head in affirmation.

"Well, Chrom was the one running the shop floor that day. When I came in, we spent about an hour discussing what type of arrangement I wanted and all the different flowers, but I was just too anxious about making the right choice that I ended up being completely indecisive. I'm not sure how, but the next thing I knew, we both wound up at a bar down the street. We got piss drunk together, and somewhere along the way Chrom managed to slap some courage into me…literally. I swear I still have the red mark on my back." The two chuckled a bit at the thought.

"Anyway. We ran back to the Shepherd's Bell and both put together this _huge_ bouquet of pink roses, tulips, lily of the valley, and purple lilac. It was larger than a watermelon! Then, we marched about 60 blocks to where she lived and I confessed right there on her door step." He paused and looked up. Robin was leaning forward on her elbows, completely invested. She gave an irritated grunt when he refused to go on.

"Annnnnddddd?" She pressured.

"Annnnnddddd she said 'no'," Stahl said with a bit of a laugh. "She said she'd much rather hear my feelings for her when I wasn't so clearly intoxicated. So I came back the next day, and we started dating." He held up his hand, a gold band rested on his ring finger. "We actually just got married a few months ago. But, yeah, since that night Chrom and I have stayed good friends." A warm smile took hold of Stahl's features, but was then replaced by the surprise of an afterthought.

"Oh! But that's not what you really asked me I guess. I didn't start working for him until about two years ago. Back then, Chrom was struggling to maintain ownership of the shop after… Um, yeah. Well anyway, he needed more workers to help run the store, but didn't really have the finances to hire someone new. I decided to help him out while he got his life sorted, seeing as he'd done so much for me. I had expected to only be working for him for a few months, but I actually ended up really enjoying my job and chose to stay. Pharmaceutics are great, but a few pills don't make people happy in the way flowers do." He finished.

Robin contemplated his story, but despite the very touching recount, really only one thing kept coming back to her mind.

"You know…I can't really imagine you as 'piss drunk'…"

He let out a lighthearted laugh, one that came from the belly.

"Yeah, well, hopefully you'll never have to see me like that. I had a headache that lasted a week and I still cringe at some of the cheesy romantic stuff I spouted that night." As he finished his sentence, his eyes went up to the clock on the wall. "Oh. Time for me to duck out of here. Promised the missus that we could go out dancing tonight! You think you could hold down the fort till closing?"

It was 5:03. About one hour.

Robin gave a nod. "Yeah, and if I need any help I could always ask Lissa. Go enjoy your night, and give your wife my best!"

Stahl smiled a bit. "Will do. See ya later Robin."

She waved after his back as the front door closed behind him.

 _Time to get back to studying._

She dragged a large binder out from the bottom of the counter, scattering dust into the air as she blew off the cover. She turned to the first page, labeled 'Discover the Language of Flowers', and began reading.

* * *

She was about forty minutes in when she determined that the eyestrain wouldn't be worth any more effort. She didn't doubt that the knowledge of the various meanings of carnations would be of _some_ use to her… eventually, but it was probably about time to start closing up.

Robin began to transfer various plants into the back room for storage and pruning. Most of them were of a manageable size so she didn't really bother with getting assistance just yet. She was in the middle of moving a large pot of Betony blossoms when the brass bell above the door rang. She quickly checked the clock.

5:54. Six minutes till closing.

She scanned the area for a place to set down the flowers. Of course, this just had to be one of the heavier pots. The counter was too high for her to push it onto and if she put it back on the floor she didn't know if she'd have the strength to pick it up again. Hefting her arms up under the load to better support it, she started to head towards the back.

"I'll be with you in a minute! Just need to move these real quick." Robin took a heavy step behind the counter, focusing more on keeping her balance than anything else.

"Of course ma'am. Take your time."

She froze. The voice was smooth and calm, and just a touch too deep to be that of a woman's. No. Robin knew that voice. She had heard it over many dinners with her father. She had heard it during their arranged outings. She had heard it in her nightmares.

She turned her face to look at the customer.

A man stood bending over an arrangement of Calla lily and Cloves. His platinum blonde hair just barely caressed the petals below. He wore a fresh white button-up shirt and khaki pants, a light green tie secured around his neck. Equally green eyes scanned over the flowers, uninterested in the woman behind the counter. Of course, there wasn't a wrinkle or hair out of place. There never was.

 _Gods, no. This can't be happening._

She needed to get to the back before he saw her. Before he realized. She needed to move. Why wasn't she moving?

Robin's heart pounded in her chest, its frantic beat the only thing she could hear. The woman watched as the customer turned his head, eyes peering up at her through pale lashes. She watched as his they took her in, widening by just a fraction of an inch. The fact that he even showed _that_ much on his face meant that he was probably just as shocked to see her as she was him.

She had been wearing a dirt stained T-shirt of Chrom's, and her white hair was pulled back into a messy bun. No doubt the man was wondering if he was seeing double. She'd only ever been allowed to look perfectly put together in front of him.

His mouth began to move, trying to shape the words on his tongue. Only two syllables came out.

"…Robin?"

 _Fuck._

Her grip failed and the Betony blossoms fell to the floor below.

* * *

A/N: DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNNN. Lol. Sorry for the late update, I was very busy last week! So this was my little angsty chapter, but I promise we'll get on to the fluffy romance soon! I hope you guys liked the chapter and please let me know what you think! I love hearing from you guys and hearing how I could improve.

Ages:

Maribelle: 22


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Lies and Lilac

* * *

Before he had been doubtful, but now he was certain that Miriel had to be Grima's herald incarnate. It all started this morning with that blasted call. Chrom _knew_ that he needed to tidy up the back room a bit, sure. Hell, even Robin approached him early one morning, grumbling about the unbelievable state of his filing cabinet.

But, he was a grown man, Gods be damned! He didn't need anyone to tell him how to run _his_ store!

 _After all, Miriel seemed to already have that job covered…_

And so, after a grueling conversation on the 'benefits of proper chronicling' and strategies for 'running an efficacious establishment', Chrom found himself trapped in a prison of paper.

He had begun sorting at the break of dawn, but the florist could still see no end to the sea of bills and orders that sat before him. Chrom had thought drowning in the bathtub as a child was bad, but now he'd gladly submit himself to the mercy of a bubbly tomb rather than spend another minute drowning in paperwork.

The hours dragged on as Chrom struggled to maintain his focus. He didn't even bother to stop for lunch, and he barely paid any mind to his sister when she and Robin returned from their quest for clothes. He knew that if he stopped working now, he'd never find enough willpower within himself to continue this for a second day. Better to get this torture over with.

It wasn't until a large glass cup was slammed onto the table space in front of him that Chrom's focus was broken. Scrambling to shield the papers from splash damage, the florist shot the blonde above him a disapproving glance. Lissa stood before him, one hand still over the glass, and the other holding a similar cup, filled to the brim with iced milk tea, up to her face.

Iced honey milk tea was what Emmeryn used to make them on hot days like today. A smaller Chrom and Lissa used to come running into the shop drenched in sweat, probably from playing Cops and Robbers with the neighborhood kids. Emmeryn would always be standing near the door, with two glasses in hand.

Chrom remembered days like those fondly.

The three would sit and enjoy their drinks at the counter, and he would gush about beating Vaike _again_ at whatever ridiculous challenge was proposed that day. Then mother would come rushing out, bright blonde hair streaming behind her. ' _Here I am working my tail off and you're all enjoying a nice cup of tea without me?!'_ she'd say, an unconvincing scowl barely managing to hide the smile underneath. That's how it always was though. They'd feign guilt while she would act the part of the responsible parent, and then we'd all laugh about it over dinner.

"HEY! EARTH TO CHROM!" Lissa shoved the drink a little closer to him.

She stood waiting until Chrom took the glass out of her hand before seating herself next to him.

As Chrom sipped on his tea, Lissa began to idly leaf through a stack of unsorted orders that the shop had received over the past few months. Though at a slower pace than that of Chrom's, she began to file away any documents that she could identify on her own. The florist was glad for the small moment of rest that his sister provided him with.

"So, how'd clothes scavenging go? You two seemed pretty tired when you got back. Did Maribelle have to wrestle Robin into a pair of wedges?"

"Pumps, actually. But it's okay! We ended up breaking her in the end! Though I admit she put up more of a fight than I expected…" Lissa quipped. Chrom choked down a laugh.

"Remind me to never go clothes shopping with the two of you. I'm not sure I have the strength demanded for that." Shrugging a bit, Lissa leaned back in the chair and took a long sip of her drink.

"Of course you don't! You're a _guy_ , so you just don't get it. If beauty is pain," Lissa gestured to herself, "maintaining all this is like fighting through a war! And women should wear their battle scars proudly."

"Honestly, I think you guys are fine the way you are. I don't see all the need for makeup and perfume. All you have to do is be yourself and-"

"Tsk tsk tsk. So much to learn. We don't do it to be charming, we do it for the power." Lissa sang. "But thanks for the Disney speech."

Chrom huffed to himself and put his head back into his work. Lissa watched as he pouted to himself, and released a small chuckle. He could be so simple minded at times.

"Hey Chrom?" she hummed.

He grunted.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. I know I'm plenty charming on my own. Feeling pretty is just a bonus!" She offered up a small smile, trying to get Chrom to return the gesture. He sighed a bit, but he couldn't stop his lips from twitching up. Feeling rather triumphant for ridding her brother of his stupid pride, Lissa excused herself from the table.

"Well I've accomplished what I originally set out to do! Now if you'll excuse meeeeee…"

Chrom looked up at her in alarm. "Wait! You're leaving? I thought you were gonna help me with all of this!"

"As tempting as that sounds, I have a meeting with Panne and Donnel. They got a new shipment of lilies in." Lissa started for the door, and Chrom saw his last light of hope fading fast.

"B-But, if you go! Who will help me with all this… Chrom-icalling?"

Lissa turned on her heel, disgust evident in her face.

"Did you just-? Okay, I know you're desperate, but if I didn't want to help you before, making puns out of your name will definitely not make me want to help now. I'm leaving." Lissa turned around and left, but not before Chrom could catch her last sentence. "And he wonders why he's single…" As the door slammed behind her, Chrom groaned in defeat. Finishing off his tea, he picked up the nearest stack of papers and began sorting.

* * *

A golden hue stained the back room as Chrom desperately tried to blink away his fatigue. It was evening now- almost closing time. Robin had begun to bring in some plants from the floor room and was currently in the process of stashing them on the shelves against the wall. Try as he might to focus, the image in the corner of his eye of Robin standing on tiptoes, hoisting a pot over head, wasn't an easy one to ignore.

Now that he thought about it harder, Stahl did say something about leaving early. Chrom moved to help her, but the moment Robin heard the sound of the chair scraping against the floor, her head whipped around. Her eyes moved from him, to the chair, and back to him all in one very deliberate motion. He got the message.

 _Sit your ass back down._

After that, Chrom was careful to stay focused on his work whenever Robin came into the back room with more flowers. She was much more careful this time, and was determined to stay just out of Chrom's perception so as not to disturb him from his work.

As bad as he felt for leaving all the heavy lifting to Robin, in all honesty, it was refreshing to have an extra hand around to help run the store. All this filing probably would have taken him three times longer if he had to split his time to manage the front as well. Even so, he didn't plan on making this a regular thing. Closing was actually one of Chrom's favorite parts of the day, and he sorely yearned for the quietude the afternoon ritual brought him, especially after a day like this.

The light at this time of day always seemed to wrap the store in a golden glow that isolated the space from the real world. Everything was still and quiet, almost like an image from within a picture frame. The monotonous action of sweeping the floors allowed his mind to focus on something other than the bills he'd have to pay, and it was some of the only time that he got to himself.

Just as he finished organizing the last stack of papers, the familiar chime of the brass bell rang through the building. Chrom sat back in his chair and checked his wrist watch.

 _Just short of five minutes till closing._

Chrom huffed, his bangs flying up at bit as he did. As much as he loved his customers, he wasn't too fond of having to put off closing procedure whenever someone decided to stop in at the last minute. More often than not, those type of people were the ones that took the longest to make up their minds. The only thing worse than an indecisive customer were the browsers. Chrom would follow them around for thirty minutes, only for them to not buy anything. It was infuriating.

Chrom pushed his chair out and stood to stretch out his cramped back. Now that he was done with all this blasted paperwork, the least he could do was help Robin finish up. Grabbing the documents, Chrom placed, or rather hastily shoved, them into one of the filing cabinets. As he righted himself once more, the florist leaned back in another attempt to crack his poor, neglected spine.

Just as his hands pressed into his lower back, a sharp crack met his ears. Almost jolting from the noise, Chrom checked himself over. His back seemed rather uninjured, though with his penitent for breaking things, even he couldn't be sure.

No, the sound was too loud to be made by a broken spine. This was the noise of something else shattering.

 _Definitely a flower pot._

Normally he wouldn't be concerned, Chrom broke pots all the time, but Robin was new to the job and of a decidedly… smaller stature than he was. While Chrom could take the brunt of a stray hit, he couldn't say the same for her. There was also the fact that Robin now worked here. Her safety was his responsibility while under his employment.

And with that thought in mind, he was already running to her side.

* * *

Just as Chrom had imagined it, the afternoon had cast the entire store in stillness.

Robin stood stagnant, a pile of soil and broken clay at her feet. Small rivulets of blood ran down her skin, dampening the spilled earth beneath it.

 _Shit._

Chrom grabbed for the first aid kit.

 _What does my store have against Robin's feet?_

He hastily knelt down and began to assess the damage. After wiping away some of the blood, Chrom was happy to see that the wounds were shallow. Her ankle had a few cuts, and the dirt would have to be cleaned from them, but it wasn't anything time couldn't heal in full. His shoulders sagged in relief.

"Hey Robin, you okay? Luckily, none of your cuts are deep, but-?" He looked up.

Robin hadn't moved or made a sound. Her eyes were staring blankly ahead, glued to the spot in front of her. He followed her line of sight until he saw a woman standing frozen in the middle of the store. Noticing the intrusion, the blonde woman collected herself before taking a step forward.

"It's really you, Robin?" To Chrom, her tone was flat and even, and betrayed little. The previous fluster was now completely gone. Robin only let slip a hint of a flinch.

Chrom stood slowly, careful to not disrupt the stiff atmosphere as he attempted to wipe the soil from his hands. However, the spell had been broken.

As he straightened to full height, Robin immediately dropped her gaze and took a half step behind the florist. She tucked herself in close to his back, hand grasping onto the fabric of his shirt in search of an anchor.

"Help. Please." Just barely a whisper, only loud enough for him to hear.

He scowled. Chrom took a step to the side, effectively putting himself between Robin and the woman. He extended a hand gradually, eyes skeptical.

"Hello. My name's Chrom Altea, and I'm the store owner. Can I help you?" He offered.

The mysterious lady looked down at Chrom's hand, and considered it. After a moment of deliberation, she reached out and grasped it in her own.

Something was odd. As she squeezed down, the florist felt firsthand just how strong the grip was. Chrom looked closer. The stranger's wrists were much less delicate than that of a normal woman's. There was also a sharpness to their jawline and shoulders that Chrom hadn't picked up on before.

 _Not a woman then._

The newcomer was quick to return his hand to his side, nearly wiping it on the side of his leg. Despite the retreat, he made no indication of being intimidated by Chrom's larger bearing.

Green eyes stared straight into Chrom's blue ones. They were assessing him, cool and unfaltering as they matched gazes. The moment lasted for only an instant before a reserved smile broke the tension between them. A perfect mask.

"A pleasure. This is a very lovely establishment that you have here. The arrangements in the window caught my eye and I decided to stop in before the store closed. You see, I don't come to this part of Ylisstol often..." He ended his explanation with another pointed glance in Robin's direction.

Chrom took another step sideways to break the man's eye contact.

"Thank you for your consideration… You're an acquaintance of Robin's?" He was careful in his wording. The man in front of him was certainly no friend, of that much he was certain. Robin's behavior alone was enough to make that all too clear. Nevertheless, he didn't want to make a scene for her sake.

The blonde haired man returned his attention to Chrom and offered another serene smile.

"Why yes. I'm Libra Gotoh. And the woman standing behind you is my fiancée."

* * *

 _Fiancée._

The word sat like a lead ball in her mind. Heavy. Unmoving. And devoid of warmth or purpose.

 _Fiancée?_

No. He had no right to that word. She had never agreed to the arrangement, nor did she have any plans to do so in the future.

 _He has no right._

Slowly, the cold numbness that had settled over her body dissipated, chased away by the heat in her blood. She felt her feet move under her, surging forth as fire spread throughout her body. No more running. She was done running.

Sidestepping a bewildered Chrom, Robin planted herself solidly between the two men, shoulders squared.

"Libra. You need to leave. The store is closed." A weak argument, but it was a start.

No matter his affiliation with her father, Robin respected Libra. He was a successful doctor and a smart man. He had been nothing but polite and proper to her over the handful of times they had met. But she also knew that he was her father's friend before her own. No matter how nice the man was, he had put up no objections to a marriage that was clearly one-sided.

The blonde narrowed his eyes.

"What are you talking about? You do realize that your father's been looking everywhere for you, don't you? What are you doing working at a flower shop?"

"I don't believe that's any of your concern. And have you considered that maybe I didn't want to be found?" she challenged.

"Robin, you've troubled a lot of people with your disappearance. It's time to stop this and go home."

The moment Libra's hand closed over Robin's arm was when Chrom had decided this had gone on long enough. The florist stepped between the two, this time breaking the blonde's hold on Robin's arm. Chrom kept a firm grasp on the man's wrist, and only held on harder when he attempted to pull away.

"What she does is not up to you. As far as I see things, she is a consenting adult who has decided that she would very much like to stay here, and _you_ are a customer who has refused to exit the premise when asked and then threatened an employee. If I were you, I would make myself scarce before I were overstay my welcome." Chrom dropped the man's arm, but his eyes cut into Libra like sharpened blades.

Libra looked between the two before him. Robin knew that he realized how much of a disadvantage he was at. This wasn't good enough though. The moment he left was when she lost. Libra would call her father and he'd be here to drag her away before the night was through. She needed to convince the blonde that she was a lost cause, but that would take a miracle. For now, she needed time.

Libra was already headed for the door, a hand reaching for the phone in his pocket. Before she could think, Robin had the blonde caged between the door and herself. The resounding 'click' of the dead bolt sliding into place sealed them into place. Libra froze.

"I do believe that I was told I was unwanted here."

"Libra. You can't tell my father, or anyone for that matter, where I am," she uttered. Libra turned his head just over his shoulder, light blonde locks falling into place along his back as he did.

"And why shouldn't I? Your sister even came home after your disappearance. This isn't a game, Robin." Though there was no scathing in his voice, the words still stung.

"I know it's not! It's just… It's just that-"

"That Robin and I are involved!"

The two whipped around to Chrom, who, truthfully, Robin had forgotten was still here. His face was red but resolute, and he took another few steps forward before grabbing her up in an awkward half hug. He didn't dare make eye contact with the woman next to him, but instead focused on the man against the door. Luckily for Robin, Libra seemed too shocked at the florist's outburst to notice the confusion clearly evident in her eyes as well. Chrom continued on.

"Y-You can't tell anyone. We… knew that Robin's father would never approve of me, so we thought to keep it a secret. But, then it was announced that she was to be engaged, so we were going to…run away together…" Chrom swallowed, but tried his best to look sincere.

Robin quickly schooled her features and leaned into his side. Despite how horrible a liar Chrom was, she supposed this was the only shot she had now.

Libra looked between the two, trying to comprehend what he just heard.

"So you two are-?" the sentence died off but Robin was quick to follow.

"Eloping. We are eloping." Robin barely hesitated before pushing further. She needed to make sure that he wouldn't sell her out. "Please understand Libra, it's nothing against you personally. You have to see why I couldn't tell father about this. He'd drag me back to Plegia before even giving us a chance. I was going to tell you once Chrom and I finalized the marriage contract, but now…" She let the words die on her tongue, and gave him the best puppy eyes she could muster. He may be an associate of her father's, but Libra wasn't heartless. That much she knew.

Libra took once glance between the two before a heavy sigh fell from his lips.

"Alright. You're a sensible woman Robin, so the fact that you were willing to go as far as to disobey your father for this holds merit for me. Now that I know you have designs toward someone else, I have no intentions of pursuing our engagement further. However, I still think that you should let your family know that you're at least okay. Validar has been tearing apart all of Ylisstol in search of you." Robin kept her head down cast and didn't dare meet his proposal. She was so close. "…If it really means so much to you, I'll stay quiet for a few days, to allow you to think this through. I'll even stand as a mediator between you and your father if that should help. I know that matters of the heart can cause you to do irrational things, but he really seems upset this time. You need to make this right."

Robin had to stop herself from scoffing in disgust.

 _He's always upset, he's just a better liar than he is a person._

"Thank you Libra. This means a lot to me. I'll think about calling my sister later, okay?"

That seemed to placate him a bit.

"Okay." He directed his attention to Chrom, who was firmly rooted to Robin's side. "I wish you both the best."

Libra slipped away through the front door, the ring of the brass bell a final testament to his presence. The two stood in silence, completely still in the afternoon light. Robin's eyes slipped up to the clock on the wall.

 _6:04_

It seems that even ten minutes could change a lifetime.

* * *

"So being 'involved' is really the best you could come up with?" His sister sputtered.

Robin had spent the last thirty minutes draped over the couch, recounting today's events to Lissa who had just returned from her errands. The blonde woman listened with amused disbelief, almost as if she were being read a bedtime story. All to the florist's dismay.

Chrom had spent his last half an hour with his face pressed against the kitchen table and fingers threatening to pull the blue hair from his head.

"Yes! And I blame you! All those stupid rom-coms that you had me watch made it seem like a great idea!" Chrom chided. Lissa really was trying her best to stifle the giggles in her throat.

"Hey! You enjoyed The Proposal and you know it!" she countered.

To his further embarrassment, Robin let out a rather large guffaw. He turned his flustered rage onto her instead.

"Why are you laughing?! It's not like you came up with anything better!"

The offender wiped a stray tear from her eye.

"Well, I suppose I could have made a convincing attempt at amnesia, but I hardly doubt that would have been as effective as your particular method. And hey, we managed to buy some time, so that should at least count for something. You should be proud." Though Robin's words were nothing but complimentary, sarcasm dripped from her lips like honey.

"Fuck off." He groaned. The two women on the couch gasped in synch.

"Language! Don't you know how to talk to a lady?" The white haired woman quipped.

"Yes, but I'm not talking to much of a 'lady', am I?"

Before he could even blink, a pillow found itself launched into the side of his head. Robin was sitting up on her arms, already looking for another possible projectile. Chrom grabbed the throw cushion that rested at his feet and readied himself.

"Awwww! Only engaged for a day and already having your first couple's spat!"

 _Thwack_

Not one, but two pillows bombarded Lissa's face. She quickly collected them into her arms, and got up in a mock huff. Nose pointing high into the sky, she squeezed the pillows closer to her chest.

"Hmph! I refuse to allow myself, or such lovely cushions, to be further defiled by your _disrespect_! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be headed to my room where these can be truly appreciated! Under my head and in bed!"

"Night!" They both shouted behind her. Their only answer was the sound of a closed door.

The pair shared a glance before bursting out in laughter again. Chrom wasn't sure if it was just the relief from circumnavigating the earlier events of the day, but he couldn't stop himself from smiling. All this seemed unreal.

 _Who would have thought that picking up Robin off the side of the road would have led to this?_

He laughed again. The fact that that was a relevant piece of information was strange enough. But he didn't mind. Actually, he had already decided that, despite knowing her for so short a period, he considered Robin a friend. And for his friends, he'd do anything, no matter how strange.

A peaceful hush fell between the two. Robin seemed to also be contemplating today's excitement, though Chrom had no doubt her thoughts were far heavier.

"Hey…Chrom? I just wanted to say thanks." Robin was a bit tentative now, but a warm smile still edged itself onto her lips.

"Hm? What for? If anything, you should be feeling sorry for yourself. You got engaged to an idiot." Chrom got up from the table and moved to one of the chairs beside the sofa. He laid back, reveling in the plushness of it.

"I dunno. It just occurred to me that I hadn't really said thank you. For the room, the job, the cover story. You've done more than I could ask for." She regarded Chrom with a steadfast glance. "If there is anything I could do-"

"Stop, stop, stop. We've already had this conversation remember? Maybe you really are an amnesiac." Chrom chuckled, but continued. "We're friends, right?"

Robin juggled the word in her head a bit, carefully considering the question.

"Yeah. I guess so."

"Then stop worrying. Friends help each other out. That's all there is to it." He said with a shrug. "And I don't really have much to complain about. There are definitely worse people I could end up marrying."

Robin's cheeks reddened, but Chrom was too busy sinking into his chair to notice the implication behind his words.

"O-Oh?"

"Yeah. Like Maribelle." He shuddered a bit. "I don't even want to entertain that thought."

Robin bobbed her head in sympathetic understanding, almost chuckling at the thought of Chrom hiding from a very angry blonde wife.

"…We're really doing this, aren't we?" She mused, more serious now.

Chrom lifted his head and peered over to the woman besides him. Her arms cradled her knees, where her chin was rested in thought.

"Mmmm, at least until you can settle things. Either that, or until you decide you want a divorce."

Robin acknowledged his attempt at humor with a small smile, but her eyes were still doubtful. Chrom sat up in an effort to better capture the woman's attention. She probably had enough to think about already. She deserved at least a small break from herself.

"Robin, everything will work itself out. I promise you."

She lifted her eyes to his, and for the first time he noticed the slight bags under them.

"Thank you. I guess I should go text my sister. If she really is back in town, I'd be lucky if she hasn't already set hounds on my trail."

"Do you think you are going to tell her? The truth, I mean. I wouldn't want you to have to lie to her." He said quietly.

At that, she snickered a bit. "I don't think I have a choice in the matter. People call me the smart one, but I've never been able to out bluff Aversa. It's like she has sister senses."

The thought humored him.

"Yeah. I understand that. I had to deal with that on two fronts. Good luck."

"Mm, yeah. I'll let her know before I head to bed. You should think about heading to sleep yourself. You marathoned a paper ocean today."

She shoved herself off the couch and slowly moved back towards her bedroom, treading lightly on her bandaged ankle. Chrom, instead of following, sank back into his chair and simply watched her go. As her back disappeared beyond a corner, his eyelids slid shut. He really was tired.

"Hey Chrom."

His eyes snapped open as he titled his head over the back of the chair. Robin was leaning in the hallway, her body resting against the wall for support.

"Hm?"

"For what it's worth…If I had to be engaged to an idiot, I don't think I would mind so much if it were you."

* * *

A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the late update but 4th Chapter is finally here! Yay~! And boy did a lot happen XD I hope you guys enjoyed it and as always I look forward to hearing about what you all think!

I know a lot of people may find my choice of Libra a bit odd, however I promise I have my reasons! I wanted to try differing from the typical antagonistic character that is usually in that role, and instead present someone with decent morals who can still act as an opposing force. In most cases of storied talking about arranged marriages, the one involved is a bad person and hence the main wants out of the relationship. Here I wanted to show that that isn't necessarily the case, and that the cause of discord is lack of love between the two rather than one just being an asshole. In this case, I think Libra acts as a good foil to Chrom's character and presents a lot of opportunity to show a different sort of relationship between the main female lead and the opposing male love interest. So please be patient to see how it unfolds!

Also! I wanted to take the time to thank all the wonderful people who have reviewed and favorited my story thus far! It's really motivating to know that people are out there putting in the time to read this, and then even going the extra step to let me know what they thought! You guys don't know how much that means to me.

I look forward to the next chapter and I hope you do too!

Ages:

Libra- 27

Emmeryn- would be 30

Also! P.s- In case you guys were wondering about the last names.

Dohlr- former Plegia

Altea- An island kingdom run by Marth's house

Gotoh- A divine servant of Naga


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Strategies and Snapdragons

* * *

When Robin cracked open her eyes that morning, all that she could register was the buzzing in her head. Her white locks splayed out in various directions as she attempted to bury her face deeper into the pillow, protesting the sunlight that peeked through the blinds. The sheets smelled slightly of lavender and lemongrass, beckoning her back to the realm of the unconscious.

Just as she allowed herself to slip back into sleep, the buzzing returned with a vengeance. She shot up straight in bed and scanned the room. Everything rested in a lazy morning peace. The noise of the city had yet to set in, and the faint scent of French vanilla coffee wafted through the room. Recently read books littered the desk and floor, exactly where she had left them. At last, her eyes fell upon a small, bright screen. Her phone rested beside her pillow, partially concealed by disheveled bedsheets. Robin hissed as the contraption vibrated again, screaming that someone was trying to get a message to her.

She snatched the phone up from its spot and shook the haze from her eyes. Quickly punching in the passcode, Robin was on a mission to personally deliver a piece of her mind to whoever had the twisted sense to text her at 6:03 in the morning. Her recent messages displayed seven new texts, all from the same sender. Robin rolled her eyes. Steeling herself, she opened up the conversation.

 _ **BIG SIS: THANK THE GODS, YOU'RE ALIVE!**_

 _ **BIG SIS: I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD IN A DITCH SOMEWHERE**_

 _ **BIG SIS: DO YOU KNOW HOW WORRIED I'VE BEEN?**_

 _ **BIG SIS: FATHER IS BEYOND LIVID**_

 _ **BIG SIS: You've really done it this time…**_

 _ **BIG SIS: Honestly I wish I'd thought of eloping with a nice lowborn Ylissean boy.**_

 _ **BIG SIS: How did you manage to hide that one from me, hm?**_

Robin stared down at her screen, brain working to formulate a response. She needed to focus. The explanation she formulated before bed was sufficient at best, but her sister was much sharper than she liked to let on. From what she gathered, the first six texts were to get Robin to drop her guard with half-feigned worry and sympathy. An answer to the last message was probably what Aversa was really after. While she didn't doubt that her sister was worried for her, she knew that her sister would never underestimate Robin's abilities. In the end, it was her overacting that gave it away.

 _ **ME: Do you realize what time it is?**_

 _ **BIG SIS: Hope I didn't ruin morning fun time with your mystery man ;)**_

A violent red blush coated Robin's cheeks. Gods, why did she have to be like that?

 _ **ME: No, but you did ruin a date with my pillow. Now that you know I'm alive and breathing, I'm going back to bed.**_

 _ **BIG SIS: If father knew about your little engagement…**_

 _ **ME: But he doesn't know, now does he?**_

 _ **BIG SIS: If he did, I'm not so sure you'd still be 'alive and breathing'. Do you know how hard it's been keeping this from him? You have to promise me that you'll let me tell him about your little Ylissean boy. I can only dream of disgracing him that much, least you can do is give me a front row seat as the madness unfolds.**_

 _ **ME: Yeah yeah, whatever, and don't call him that. Just try to hold it in a bit longer okay? I need to get a plan in order if I'm gonna make it out of this alive.**_

 _ **BIG SIS: Can I at least know his name?**_

 _ **ME: No. The last thing I need is father tracking me down because he was monitoring your attempts at online stalking. I'll talk to you later.**_

Robin quickly dimmed the screen on her phone, and jammed it under her pillow. She'd need to get her story straight with Chrom before Aversa got too overly curious. If she was going to pull this off, she would need to do it right.

Robin considered going back to sleep, but now she was keenly aware of how unprepared she was if they were put under scrutiny. She didn't even know Chrom's birthday. Robin pinched her nose in an attempt to drive off an incoming headache. She was _severely_ unprepared.

She grumbled to herself as she pulled the fluffy duvet covers from her lap, haphazardly throwing them to the side as she hoisted herself out of bed. Not even bothering to change out of her night clothes, Robin promptly ran a brush through her tangled hair a few times before heading out into the hallway.

The smell of coffee now permeated the air, and was a painful reminder to Robin that her stomach was practically running on empty. Urged by the grumbling in her abdomen, she shuffled into the kitchen in search of breakfast.

The sound of a hastily muttered curse made her stop short of turning around the corner completely. Chrom stood hunched in front of the stove, dressed in a t-shirt and a pair of loose-fitting sweats. A second man, one Robin's never seen before, was looking on as the florist attempted to pull pieces of egg shell from a bowl of batter, his features schooled in careful observance. Robin noted several similar bowls were stacked precariously in the sink, a broken whisk decorating the top of the tower.

Chrom let out another string of hushed curses as he started to combine the mixture of flour, egg, and butter. Small droplets of batter went flying from the forcefulness of Chrom's stirring, dirtying his shirt and the surrounding counter top. The older man 'tsked' a bit, but otherwise restrained himself from offering further criticism. Instead he simply reached forward and corrected Chrom's vice grip on the whisk.

From what Robin could tell, this was quite obviously a disastrous attempt to teach the blue haired dolt how to cook. Chrom looked so stressed that one would assume he'd just come back from diffusing a bomb, and while he was more composed externally, the stiff set of the mysterious onlooker's shoulders betrayed his own nervousness. The tension that flooded the dimly lit room was almost laughable.

Careful to not disturb the two, Robin ventured a little further into the living room to get a better view of the proceedings. Chrom's brow furrowed in complete and utter focus as he carefully tipped the bowl, watching as the batter spilled onto the waiting griddle below. The liquid hissed as it spread across the surface, forming a lumpy circle.

Both men let out a strained sigh of relief, as if they had been expecting the mixture to combust upon contact with the hot pan. When it was apparent that the batter would do no such thing, He continued on with the next pancake, until the entire surface was covered in crude circles. Clearly proud of himself, Chrom turned and shot the man behind him a lopsided grin.

Robin decided that now was probably the best time to let her presence be known. She stepped into the light of the kitchen, and cleared her throat in an effort to announce herself. Chrom's eyes connected with hers and his smile immediately dropped from his face.

"How long have you been standing there?"

Robin smirked. "Long enough."

The brunette eyed the woman with scrutiny. He raised a single eyebrow in question, clearly confused by the intrusion of the woman in pajamas.

"I do not believe that I've had the pleasure of meeting you. I am Frederick. Landlord of this building and longtime friend of the Altea family."

Frederick dragged his palms across the front of his pink, frilled apron, leaving smudges of batter in his wake. After he deemed himself reasonably clean, he offered his hand in greeting. Robin took it, briefly squeezing down before dropping the handshake. She noted that his hands carried light callouses but were otherwise unmarked and unscarred. Very much unlike Chrom's.

Robin mimicked Frederick's formal tone. "Delighted to make your acquaintance. I'm Robin. Chrom's fi-"

"FRIEND." The florist quickly interjected. "She's a very dear _friend_."

Chrom was an earnest man with many strengths to him, however subtlety was obviously not one. Frederick's brown eyes darted between the man and woman standing before him, one clearly addled by his sudden proclamation while the other crossed her arms in silent rebellion. Glances passed between the two, both locked in a silent argument not meant for his viewing.

Curiosities were already waiting at the tip of his tongue, but before Frederick had the chance to question Chrom's very poor attempt at a cover-up, the brunette found himself being pushed out of the kitchen and toward the front door. Frederick could almost feel Chrom's panic, the hands positioned between his shoulder blades were slick with sweat.

The florist gave the man's back a hardy shove into the hallway, muttering a quick apology under his breath as he did.

Frederick's eyes widened as the door began to close. The last noise that the landlord caught was that of a young woman's voice, made light with forced mirth and cheer.

"Hope to see you at the wedding!"

Frederick's eyes could only widen as the door was slammed in his face.

* * *

 _Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck._

One lock clicked into place after the other, but to Chrom the noise sounded more like nails being driven into his coffin. Blue hair seemed to bristle on edge as he turned to face the indignant woman behind him.

" _WHAT IN NAGA'S NAME DID YOU DO?!"_ Chrom barely managed to keep his voice at a whisper, his rage coming out in a strangled hiss.

Robin's arms were crossed defensively in front of her, all hints of joking gone from her face.

"Listen. I understand that you don't want to lie to any of your friends, but if we're going to do this we can't handicap ourselves by sharing our secret with the entire neighborhood. Lissa knows the truth only because you definitely wouldn't have been able to hide my existence from her if we really _had_ been dating. But the more people who know the truth the more liability there is." She reasoned.

Chrom gripped his temples, obviously trying to chase away a growing headache.

"I know that. I know. It's just- It's Frederick. He's been around for more of my life than even most of my other family members have," he argued. "It's not as simple as just saying 'deal with it'. It's just that…I dunno, we trust each other. It feels wrong to so blatantly lie to him."

A bit of the fight drained from his body as Chrom seated himself. Now that Frederick knew, he'd surely be back, but this time armed with questions and a dangerous suspicion of Robin's existence. The couch cushion beside him dipped under the weight of his new flat mate. Robin gingerly pulled her legs up under her as she settled in besides him.

"I suppose I could have handled that with a bit more…delicacy. Do you think he'll be mad that you are 'engaged'?" she queried.

Chrom looked across at the woman sitting beside him. Even despite the slight guilt rimming her eyes, she looked a mess. Robin's hair, while mostly brushed through, had a tangle of strands sticking up at the back of her head that resembled a bird's nest. Her clothes were loose, making her small frame seem even smaller, and Chrom could swear that he spotted a bit of dried drool on the side of her cheek. If not for the situation, he would have laughed.

"No that's not it. Not mad. Confused, skeptical, and wary, yes. But not mad. Probably." His last statement was carried with a bit of trepidation. Frederick shouldn't be angry, if anything far from it. He had always been the siblings' biggest supporter since Emm's passing. But yet again, Chrom had never hidden anything other than a few minor things from him. And Robin posing as his fiancée was definitely more than minor. "It's just he's been part of my life for so long. I wanted to tell him at a better time. That's why I had him come teach me before you were usually awake," he finished.

"Ah. I'm sorry. I hadn't realized. If we go explain things to him, I'm sure we could-" she started. But before she could finish, Chrom interrupted her.

"No. You don't know him like I do. He's been in my life ever since I was in elementary school. And on top of that, he possesses the crazed tenacity of a mother bear, especially when it comes to me and Lissa. Now suddenly a strange woman appears claiming to be my intended wife?" Chrom released a strained breath. "There's no way he'll _not_ blow this out of proportion."

"Is he really that bad?" Robin questioned.

"Worse. Once when I was in high school, he found out I was taking a girl to prom and within three days he already knew everything about her down to her peanut allergy. I'm sure he could outclass most Ylissean special agents if he put even half of his effort into it." Chrom looked over to see Robin contemplating his story, looking both mildly impressed and horrified. "Point is, he's probably on your case as we speak."

Robin looked up at him. "But he only knows my first name."

Chrom shook his head. "Doesn't matter. He's worked with less. It's too late for you."

The white-haired woman failed to suppress a shudder. "Wow. I think I just made an amazing enemy."

Chrom let out a small chuckle. "I suppose so."

Suddenly, Robin froze stiff in her chair. "Oh gods…" With startling speed, Robin launched herself out of the seat, practically stumbling over the small coffee table in front of her.

Chrom stood as well, placing a hand on her shoulder to steady her. "You okay? I know it's a bit overboard, but Frederick won't hurt you so-"

Robin looked at him, panic in her eyes.

"No no no no. Chrom. The pancakes."

* * *

The two looked down at the sad stack of dollar coin pancakes, if one could even call them that anymore. They were burnt to a tarnished black-brown, almost as hard as hockey pucks, and definitely inedible.

"Y'know…I wouldn't call myself a great cook. But I don't think even I could have messed up pancakes this badly," Robin marveled.

Chrom had tried hard. He really did. But ever since Robin moved in, it seemed as though he could only manage to paint himself as a fool. He'd even bothered to take cooking lessons from Frederick in order to appear just a bit more put together, but it seems like the only thing Chrom would ever be good at is flowers.

"…Please just don't mention this to Lissa. If she found out, I'm sure I'd never hear the end of it. I once attempted an omelet and she still won't let me anywhere near eggs," he groaned.

Robin's eyebrows shot up. "Now that sounds like a story."

Chrom could barely stop himself from rolling his eyes. "One that I'd rather not tell, or even recall, if I could help it." He accented his statement with a short huff, just to ensure that Robin wouldn't try to go digging for further details. "Anyway, I think we probably have more important matters to discuss at the moment. Like how in Naga's name are we going to fool everyone into thinking that someone like me could have gotten a fiancée."

Robin gave a small shrug.

"I dunno. I think we'd be a more believable couple if I knew why you aren't allowed near eggs…" she mumbled, her sarcastic tone failing to mask her growing curiosity. Chrom shot her a look of slight disdain. He was starting to think that in terms of teasing, Robin may actually be worse than his sister. And that was an impressive feat in its own right.

When she saw that Chrom was having none of her fooling, Robin sat down at the table and picked up a pancake. As she pondered her situation, the small blackened disk danced between her fingertips as though it were the thoughts currently being tossed around in her mind. Chrom watched the ritual with mild fascination, but ultimately chose to stay quiet.

After a moment passed, Robin placed the pancake back on top of the pile of ashes Chrom called breakfast. "We'll need a solid, thought-out plan."

Of course they would. Chrom was usually all for running head first into tough situations. That's what got him into this mess in the first place, after all. But he wasn't stupid enough to think that brute force would solve everything. Robin had more at stake in this than he ever would, and he really didn't want to ruin her chances by doing something idiotic. Chrom also made himself comfortable at the table, resting his bodyweight on his elbows as he listened in.

"If we are ever going to make this work, we'll need to be completely in synch with one another. No mixing stories, no dicing words, and certainly no _dodging questions_." Robin squinted over the plate at him, clearly referencing his earlier blunder with Frederick. "We'll need to know everything a couple should about each other. Habits, preferences, background… _everything_."

Chrom nodded, easily following along with her logic. "We'll also need to cement some of our own stories. First meeting, first date, the…proposal," he offered.

She gave a small nod of her own. "Exactly."

"Any ideas on how we should go about that? I suppose we could quiz each other but..." Chrom's thoughts died on his tongue. He was starting to realize just how daunting actually "knowing" someone is. Robin gave a small hum of acknowledgement to his proposal.

"Yeah, I agree that that is pretty inefficient as far as plans go. Of course some of it we will have to memorize, but as for the story of _us_? You know what they say, the best lies are told with a grain of truth." Robin's lips tilted into a small smirk.

Robin glanced up at him through her lashes, an impish grin now dancing on her face. Chrom could hardly understand what the woman was getting at, and being the target of such intense expressions wasn't making it easier on him. He gestured for her to continue, wanting in on this plan that Robin seemed so proud of.

"So we lie as little as possible. We've already had our first meeting. A rainy encounter at the Shepherd's Bell. I walked in, you stepped on my foot, and I left with a beautiful bouquet. Simple."

Chrom considered Robin's point. Yes he supposed if he remembered things as they actually happened, it would be a more consistent story that was easy to recall.

"…But what about our first date? Or the proposal for that matter? None of that has actually happened so...?" he noted.

Robin's smile grew even more, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "So nice of you to finally ask!" The woman stood from her seat and walked around the table. With a sort of subdued fire in her eyes, she began to monologue.

"'That night, Robin had had a pretty rough night out on the town. Having roamed the streets in search of food, her half drunken stupor instead lead her to the doorstep of her favorite florist. Ever the gentleman, and already familiar with the woman who had bought flowers from him just the week before, Chrom invited her inside for breakfast. As the two sat eating quietly over a plate of flambéed pancakes, Chrom worked up his nerve to finally ask the girl of his dreams out on a date! With steel in his eyes, he looked at her and said…?'" Robin paused, looking over her shoulder expectantly at Chrom. Obviously he was to continue the act.

Chrom swallowed slowly. "Um… I know that this is kinda sudden, but… do you maybe want to go out with me sometime?"

"Nope."

Chrom's eyes snapped up to meet Robin's. "Huh?"

"I said 'no'", Robin spun to face him, arms crossed in triumph. "Jeez Chrom, I know that you aren't good at the whole 'talking' thing, but you should really take a few classes on how to address a lady. Why the hell would I say yes to a sad attempt like that?"

Chrom regarded the woman with mild frustration. "Because we are just pretending?" he huffed. Robin's shoulder's dropped slightly, the mirth on her visage now replaced with lukewarm distaste. Obviously put off at Chrom's refusal to play along, she chose to just explain her thinking in layman's terms.

"Chrom. If we are going to do this, we need to live the act. My father is shrewd, my sister even shrewder. And now I have Frederick to worry about as well. If we don't have our parts down to the very finest detail, the whole charade is blown. Besides, what woman in her right mind would agree to a date over burnt pancakes?" she almost laughed. "Even if it's fake, you're going to have to put some effort into winning my affections, just as you would have had to if you truly were interested in me. And of course I'll be doing the same, so be prepared."

Now that Robin's odd merriment was gone, Chrom could clearly see that she was serious. Well, it was his idea after all, the least he could do was trust in Robin. If he was going to go through with this, he may as well go at it with one hundred percent of his effort so as to not disappoint.

 _So be it._

Chrom pushed himself up and strode toward Robin. Before she had the chance to question what was going on, she was pulled into a tight embrace, her face buried into the crook of Chrom's neck. The scent of French vanilla, deodorant, and a slight hint of jasmine filled her nose, flooding her senses. He lowered his head so that his mouth was positioned just alongside Robin's ear. Warm breath spilled over her skin and left goosebumps in its wake. Chrom let out a chuckle, low and rumbling.

"I think you're the one who'd better be prepared," he muttered.

And just like that the warmth was gone. Chrom let go and headed toward the door, practically skipping.

"…wha?" Robin stood dazed and confused, half wondering if that had really just happened or if the late nights on her phone were finally starting to get to her.

Chrom stood in the threshold of the door now, a boyish smile dancing on his lips. Robin could see a challenging gleam in his eyes, a stubborn sort of triumph. Chrom's 'revenge' had had its desired effect.

Before she had the chance to maim him, the florist was already out and down the hallway.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?!" Robin called out after him. She raced into the hall, chasing Chrom's lead. The man stood at the end of the walkway, still clearly pleased with himself. Without even turning, he yelled back.

"I'm planning to woo you! Watch the shop while I'm gone!" And with that, he turned the corner and was out of sight. The hall was now empty, aside from a slack jawed and dumbfounded Robin. Whatever idea Chrom had, she doubted it would be a very good one judging by the previous "genius solutions" the man had come up with in the time of her living with the Altea family. She was quickly beginning to regret her choice of action.

Just as Robin began to regain her senses, a blonde head of hair poked out from the doorway. Lissa, bleary eyed and a bit off-balanced, wandered into the hall and stopped beside the older woman. Green eyes surveyed Robin with a sort of detached interest, taking in the oversized t-shirt and sleep pants. The blonde simply shrugged, probably deciding that her fogged mind wouldn't be up to the task of making a joke out of this until she got some coffee in her.

"Want some Eggo Waffles?" she drawled.

Waffles sounded good.

"Yeah, okay."

The two trudged back through the door of the apartment, leaving the hallway filled with the silence of an early morning once more.

* * *

Robin twiddled away at her phone while she sat perched atop the rickety wooden stool stationed behind the register. The morning had been a rather slow one, with only a few customers and some half-passable lessons on soil quality from Lissa to pass the time. Chrom had come back a bit past noon, looking too self-satisfied to be anything but off putting to Robin. He was now in the back, putting together various arrangements for the upcoming week. Even with a wall between them, Robin could hear him humming to himself as he worked.

The phone in her hand buzzed twice, calling her attention from the boy in the back room. Displayed on the screen was a screenshot and a short text message. Tapping to enlarge the photo, Robin found an image of herself, hunched over her phone on a stool. Below that were the words 'TARGET ACQUIRED'.

Her eyes tore up and scoped all the windows of the small flower shop. Almost exactly to the right of her, a young woman was pressed up against the glass with phone in hand. She wore a large floppy hat and sunglasses that blocked out most of her features, but anyone who knew Sumia could tell it was her by the curled hair alone.

Allowing herself to shake off the a bit of the drowsiness that had afflicted her since her premature wake up call, she reluctantly waved for her friend to come inside. As soon as she was given the go-ahead, the ash haired woman pushed through the door and rushed the counter. For the second time that day, Robin was pulled into an unexpected hug, though this time the assailant could barely encircle her shoulders over the cashier desk.

"Oof. Good to see you too Sumia." Robin choked out.

"Do you know how _worried_ I've been?" the woman chastised. "When your father came demanding answers he looked like he wanted death!" Robin struggled out of Sumia's grasp, prying herself away just enough to address her friend properly.

"Yes, yes. I'm well aware that my douche of a dad hates my guts now. As you can see, I am alive and well," she confirmed.

"Alive, well, and many other things, but _engaged_ is not one that I would have ever imagined! No wonder why your father was as steamed as a piece of broccoli! Running away to be with the man you love, despite the fact that you two come from two completely different worlds… It's like you're a heroine out of one of my novels! Why didn't you tell me?!" Sumia seemed to sparkle at the possibility of a fantastical romantic adventure, but her enthusiasm fell on deaf ears. Robin stared blankly at Sumia, replaying the words just shouted at her in her head. She couldn't have heard right.

"Earth to Robin?"

Robin met Sumia's questioning gaze, her own filled with subdued horror.

"How did you know? That I am engaged, that is," Robin pressed.

Understanding immediately lit up Sumia's face. That was one of the things Robin loved most about her. She was always so honest that even her face betrayed her own thoughts. That was a rare thing to come across in others and Robin felt comfort the feelings of trust it brought.

"Oh! Your sister texted me earlier today asking about your mystery man! Of course, I am in the dark as much as she is so I wasn't much help. But I'm just so EXCITED! When Aversa told me that he was a florist I just _had_ to come see for myself! I spent hours tracking down all the flower shops in the city and figuring out which florists were the most likely to be your potential soul mate! I have to say, Robin, I'm not disappointed. This 'Chrom' guy seemed to be quite the looker based off of his files!" Sumia ranted.

Robin let out a sigh of relief. So then her father didn't know.

"Sumia, I know that you're excited, but I'm pretty sure it's illegal to use your access to the police's database to research my potential love interests…" she deadpanned.

The ash haired woman shied away like a child being scolded. Released of the death grip, Robin took this chance to breathe.

"Well…What Dad doesn't know won't hurt him! I made sure to be very discrete about it… You aren't mad are you?" Sumia's eyes peered up at her, an apology clear in her gaze. Robin tried to remain stern-faced, but she always did have a soft spot for her childhood friend. She chuckled.

"Was I at least hard to track down?" Robin laughed. Sumia lit up.

"Oh, VERY! Do you KNOW how many flower shops are in Ylisstol? If I hadn't known that one of your favorite bookstores was in this neighborhood, I would have never even considered checking this place! It's so small that it hardly popped up in any of my searches."

Robin flinched internally. While that was good news for her, she could just imagine Chrom's reaction to that. If personal access to the Ylissean P.D Database had trouble pulling up information on the Shepherd's Bell, it was no wonder why they received so few customers. She made a mental note for later to sketch out some plans for better advertisement.

The sound of humming, this time louder than it was before, broke Robin of her train of thought. The melody drifted out from the back room, slowly filling her ears. The sound was actually quite pleasant, as much as Robin hated to admit that Chrom could actually carry a tune. In fact, the song only served as a painful reminder that the florist was up to no good. However, Robin quickly realized that her reaction to the sudden intrusion was almost completely opposite of that of her friend's.

Sumia's attentions were immediately moved to the only door separating the back room from the store front. The two women's eyes met once, and immediately Robin regretted allowing Sumia to stay for so long.

"Sumia, don't-" she attempted, but it was already too late. The young woman practically tripped in her attempt to get behind the counter, pushing past Robin and racing to meet the source of the sound.

Chrom stood in the middle of the room, happily humming away to whatever song was playing on his phone. He wore his trademark apron, a brown one with the Shepherd's Bell logo embroidered onto it in yellow thread, with the clothes he had on earlier this morning concealed underneath. He was currently pruning the leaves from some chrysanthemums, completely unaware of the intruder.

Robin watched as her friend made her way across the floor, striding right up to the still oblivious florist. Wholly uncaring for the half foot height difference between them, Sumia grabbed Chrom by the collar and punched him straight across the jaw. _Hard_. He reeled back and fell half way onto the table, clutching at his face in disbelief. Sumia stared down at him, hands planted firmly on her hips in her best attempt to look intimidating.

"If you _ever_ hurt her, don't even _think_ that I won't hesitate to come right back here and give you yours ten times over! She is the best thing in your life, understood?" She warned.

"Y-Yes, ma'am?" he questioned. If Robin wasn't so bewildered, she would have laughed. She'd never imagined that shy little Sumia could make a man as tall as Chrom shake in fear.

"'Yes, ma'am' indeed!" Sumia announced.

At last, Robin found her feet. She made her way to Chrom, helping him up from the floor while keeping a careful distance from her friend. _That will be the last time I underestimate her…_

"Sumia?! What the hell was _that_?!"

Sumia looked a bit hurt at the tone of voice used with her.

"What? Isn't that what I was supposed to do?" she queried. Robin responded with the most incredulous look that she could muster, begging Sumia to share her thinking with the rest of the room. "W-Well that's what always happens in the books and movies! I'm supposed to threaten the boy to never hurt you and then give him a slap for good measure…right?" She ended her sentence with a sheepish smile, reverting back to her more typical, docile nature. Robin pressed her hand to her face.

"A slap, _maybe_. A _punch_ , though?" Robin turned to Chrom, who had remained decidedly silent. Turning his face to better examine his cheek, she winced a bit at the already reddening mark. "That's definitely going to be a bruise. I'm sorry, Chrom. My friend here tends to have a bit of a skewed perception of social norms. How about you introduce yourself normally this time?" Her last statement was aimed at the ash haired girl currently fascinated with her feet.

Sumia stepped forward slowly, heeled feet clacking against the concrete floor. Coming to a stop just before the two, she bent at the hip in a gesture of apology.

"My name is Sumia Whitewing. I apologize for punching you without viable cause," she stated.

"She's been a close friend of mine since we were young children. Our fathers often had business with each other so we got to grow quite close," Robin further explained, a sort of nostalgic glow radiating from her features.

To Chrom, it was painfully obvious that these two were close, and that wasn't just because of the growing welt on his jaw. This Sumia person seemed to be a sincere to a fault, and was very much not afraid to stand up for her friends. If anything, it made him happy to know that Robin at least had someone she could call an ally when all of this was over.

Chrom tapped the woman's shoulder, and extended his hand in greeting.

"Apology accepted. And it was a well-placed blow. You should be proud of your friend Robin," he offered. "It's nice to meet you, and you can call me Chrom."

Sumia relaxed a bit once she knew that there was no ill-will between them, and put her hand in his. They shook once briefly before Chrom took his place beside Robin once more, making sure to stand close enough to look intimate.

A ringtone sounded from Sumia's purse as she scrambled to fish out her phone. The couple watched as she tapped on the screen twice before muttering a quiet 'Pegasus dung' under her breath.

"Everything okay?" Robin questioned. Sumia proceeded to shove the device back into her bag before looking back up at the white haired woman.

"Yes. It seems I am needed back at home. Mother is back from her trip early and wants us to have dinner," she sighed. Turning her eyes to Chrom, she continued. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd love to purchase some pansies before I go."

Chrom gave the woman his best smile.

"Anything for a friend of Robin's."

* * *

Two women stood beside the road in the heat of the afternoon sun. There would be at least a few more weeks of sweltering heat before the winds of autumn bring a chill to the air. Both women shared idle chatter, more concerned with keeping an eye out for a taxi rather than having meaningful conversation. A bouquet of purple and white blooms shifted in the arms of one as she adjusted her bag to a more comfortable position.

"He seems nice. Really nice," Sumia started, eyes still trained on the road. "I was worried, you know. I thought that you had gotten yourself pregnant or something and maybe that would explain the sudden engagement. It also would have explained your father's anger…"

Robin mocked intrigue as she examined her stomach. "Mmmm, nope. No baby in here." Sumia backhanded the other's shoulder, a pout taking purchase on her lips. The runaway heiress couldn't help but laugh. "Sumia, no matter how drunk I get, even I don't think I could mess up that bad. You know how he is. I couldn't let anyone know about, well, my relationship."

Though her friend seemed a bit doubtful, she accepted the explanation all the same. "And Chrom, he makes you happy?"

Robin did her best to smile. To be convincing.

"Yes. He does. He…has given me so much more than I could have asked for. Because of him, I have another chance at making this life my own. " Luckily, she managed to sound somewhat believable. What she said wasn't wrong after all. Chrom gave her one shot at a new life, at happiness. And she wasn't going to let that go to waste.

The two watched as a yellow cab pulled onto the street, cruising down the hill towards them. Sumia smiled.

"Well then, that's good." She stated, more as an assurance for herself if anything. Motioning to the flowers in her hands, she looked back up at her friend. "Let's hope that your fortunes are favorable ones. Maybe these guys will even be able to tell us when it's best to have the wedding, hm?"

Robin had to stop herself from laughing. Sumia did always have an affinity towards this sort of thing, she should have expected it.

"If my future is going to be a good one, I think I'd prefer to make it so through my own efforts rather than because some plants have a plan for me," she snorted. The cab pulled up along the curb, and Robin helped her friend inside.

"Hmm well we'll see who'll be right in the end, my flowers or your defiance of fate," Sumia sang. The door slammed shut, but before the car pulled away, the back seat window rolled down. "Tell me more about him sometime okay? It's no fair keeping all those juicy details to yourself."

Robin waved as the cab drove off.

"Will do."

* * *

The brass bell chimed as Robin stepped through the doorway, announcing her presence to any who cared to listen. It amazed her at how quickly she had become accustomed to that little chime, how it had become so welcoming to her. It had been the first noise she heard when she first came to the Shepherd's Bell, and it would almost certainly be the last when she chose to abandon the hospitality of the Altea family. But for now, it would be the noise she heard when she returned home.

Chrom sat behind the counter, looking rather put off as his younger sister scolded him about the green and yellow mark on his jaw. Lissa, herself, was so busy fussing over the ugly bruising that she hadn't even noticed Robin's return. Chrom's eyes caught her own, slate blue clashing with chocolate brown.

"Robin! Tell her that I'm not making it up! It wasn't my fault, right?" He cried. Lissa rolled her eyes, pigtails flying back and forth as she shook her head in dissent.

"No way, Chrom. I know you aren't best with the fairer sex, but being a brick wall is one of your stronger qualities. No way could someone half your size have socked you that hard." She huffed.

Robin stepped further into the shop, the scent of flowers engulfing her. She supposed that if she had to challenge her fate, she'd be happy to have them to help her do so.

* * *

A/N: HI EVERYONE! I'M BACK! Sorry for the super late update! ~ Life has been busy with the start of my senior year of college and dealing with natural disasters. I promise I shall attempt to be better about updating more!

Anyway, wow my longest chapter yet! For those of you wondering, I wanted to do something a bit different with Sumia so I decided to make her more aligned to Robin's character than to Chrom's, because I feel like there aren't a lot of fics out there that focus on their friendship. I hope she wasn't too OOC but I wanted to capture her more determined side that you see in some of the supports.

As always, I love hearing from you guys and please let me know what you thought of this chapter!

* * *

Character age:

Sumia: 24


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Outings and Orchids

* * *

"No. Absolutely not."

Chrom couldn't help but grin wider. "What? Are you scared?"

Robin looked dubiously between him and the motorcycle parked in the middle of the alleyway.

"Of the motorcycle? No. I'm more terrified that that helmet tucked under your arm would be the only thing protecting me from your driving skills, or lack thereof," she deadpanned.

The woman brushed past Chrom and inspected the vehicle. For how little the florist actually profited from his business, the bike looked quite… costly. The body of the motorcycle was built out of some high quality steel and seemed to be completely free of rust. Whoever owned this had spent a lot of time taking care of it, time Chrom didn't have to spend. Robin ran a finger over the back fender, contemplating the bright red and white detailing. Not a speck of dust came off on her skin.

"Even if we do survive a crash, I'm pretty sure whoever _actually_ owns this bike would kill us for wrecking it," she finished.

A hand fell heavily onto her shoulder, squeezing down ever so slightly. Chrom's face was as white as a ghost.

"…Please don't remind me. She made sure to make that point _very_ clear when she lent it out," he gulped.

A sigh escaped from Robin's lips. This morning had been a relatively normal one. Both they and Lissa had shared a quiet breakfast over half-stale cereal, and the runaway even had time to read a few chapters of the newest novel that she'd plucked off of the shelf. But the usual routine had broken when she went down the rickety stairs connecting the apartment to the Shepherd's Bell, and Chrom had been waiting for her at the bottom, grinning like an idiot.

Stripped of her comfortable workwear, Robin was forced into something more 'appropriate for their date'. That's why she now donned jeans, sneakers, and a light jacket. The midday sun was suffocating, and the sweat running down her back begged to be chased away by a cool shower. However, apparently she had already wasted enough time getting ready and now they were late to their destination.

A helmet came flying in her direction, and Robin snatched it out of the air with a huff of indignity. Chrom let out a small laugh, throwing his legs over the seat of the bike. His hand patted the space behind him, beckoning the woman to follow his example, before he clipped on his own helmet.

"Believe me, if I didn't know how to drive this thing, I would have never been entrusted with it in the first place. I know I don't look it, but I used to take motorcycle trips a whole bunch, back before I ran the shop," Chrom offered.

Finding at least a bit of comfort in that, Robin settled herself at the edge of the seat, slowly easing herself up against the brown suede jacket stretched across her companion's back. Once he felt that they were both securely seated, Chrom nudged up the kick stand and turned the key in the ignition. The engine roared to life beneath them, causing the noise to bounce off the cramped walls of Ylisstol's back streets, echoing in her ears. Robin held on just a bit tighter. She was already regretting this. With a jolt, the bike pulled forward and onto the main road.

Despite this being the capital of the country, this area of Ylisstol suffered little traffic since it was so far from the city center. Buildings fell away in a blur as stores gradually turned to suburbs, and eventually even those gave way to the iconic hills and fields long coveted by Ylisse's neighbors.

White strands of hair snapped in the wind as Robin clung tight to her driver, praying that she would live to finish the unfinished book she had abandoned at her bedside. Chrom didn't seem to mind though, in fact she was sure that he was enjoying the ride to such an extent that he completely forgot she was even there with him.

Robin turned her attention to the side, preferring to focus on the view rather than on the likely chance that Chrom's carelessness could cost them both their lives. Worrying now would do her little good.

The golden green of the fields ran alongside the road, long stalks of wheat and barley stretched upward in an attempt to touch the blue sky overhead. An odd sense of nostalgia washed over her. The immensity of it all was surprisingly comforting. She often forgot that there was a world outside of the cage she used to live in, one wide and vast and completely uncaring of her name or blood. A world where she could be free.

Robin hummed a bit, almost forgetting her grip on Chrom's back. The clash of gold against blue really was stunning. Despite the noise of the highway, those fields seemed peaceful. Quiet. Maybe she could come back here someday.

 _After all, surely there could be no better place to relax with a nice novel and maybe take a nap…_

The woman laughed a bit at the thought, a funny echo of a dream she'd once had, before settling down again to watch the horizon.

* * *

For the first time in a while, there seemed to be no clouds to grey out the pure azure that Chrom loved so much. In Ylisse, a clear sky was the first sign of the impending fall season. While spring was the best time for business, he'd always had a weakness for autumn. The slack in work meant that he, Emm, and Lissa had more time to spend with each other.

Back then, they'd often take days off to take picnics and go on trips to the country or coast. Not anything extravagant, but those days always resulted in good memories. The change in color on the trees had also been something he looked forward to. It was almost as though the forests themselves were coming into bloom before withering away for winter.

A small, weathered sign caught the driver's eye, signaling that they were almost at their first stop. A wooden bunny stood alone on the corner, holding a flower pot above its head. The words "Warren Plant Nursery" were painted neatly across its stomach in a dark green. The bike dipped, hanging at a forty-five degree angle to the roadside as Chrom took a hard right onto a small dirt road.

Robin, who had been surprisingly quiet this entire ride, jumped to life. She scrambled to clutch onto the back of his jacket, clearly surprised by the sudden change in gravitational orientation. He could have sworn he heard a choked scream. He savored the victory over her, as small as it may have been.

Almost as though she could sense his smug content, the woman cuffed him on the side of his head. The act of displeasure sent Chrom into a fit of laughter. It wasn't until they pulled up to a small concrete building that the florist was able to calm himself enough that his amusement had died down to a few small chuckles.

His 'date' swung off the motorcycle, gravel crunching beneath her feet as she strode toward the walkway. Shaking off the helmet hair, Chrom jogged past her and just barely managed to stop the door with his foot before Robin could open it.

"Okay, I know that was a bit mean, but it's a mandatory part of everyone's first ride. You did a lot better than me if that helps. I had road rash for a few weeks."

She tried her best to look angry, but the thought of Chrom falling face first into asphalt was too ridiculous. Her scowl was completely unconvincing, but he decided to humor her and tried again.

"If you forgive me, I'll let you inside~" In order to punctuate his point, he held the door slightly ajar. Cool air poured out of the building, washing over the both of them like a siren song calling in sailors from the sea. It seems this was enough persuasion, because Robin took a single step forward and shoved her own helmet into Chrom's arms. Giving him a side glance, she continued her play at anger, but this time didn't attempt to hide her smile.

"If you _ever_ do that to me again, you'll wake up one day with half your hair shaved off, understand?"

In response, he gave an exaggerated bow whilst opening the door wider, as though he were welcoming royalty.

"On my honor as a Shepherd's Bell employee, I swear," he announced.

Robin gave his shoulder a soft push, brushing past him in the process. Gods, he was a doofus.

"C'mon, idiot. You're air-conditioning all of Ylisse."

Chrom followed her inside, a stupid grin spread wide across his face.

At first all of Lissa's rantings about never getting a sister-in-law hadn't made much sense to Robin. Of course he was a bit of a dolt, but Chrom was pleasant, kind, and wasn't even all that unattractive as far as standards go. However, seeing as how his idea for a 'date' was to take her shopping for inventory, she was starting to understand the frustration.

Crouched between bushes of Weigela and Viburnum, the man in question was currently having a riveting discussion about newly introduced rose hybrids with a stern-looking, brunette woman. As soon as they had gotten to the greenhouse, Robin had been practically abandoned by the other two to wander the rows of botanicals on her own.

Not that the place didn't have its own charm. Various species of flowers, too many for her to count, filled the room from wall to wall. The blend of mismatched shapes and colors made it seem as though she had been walking through an Afremov painting. If Robin hadn't been standing in a glass box dressed head-to-toe in warm clothing, she'd probably have been more appreciative of the view.

Figuring that her presence wouldn't be missed, she decided to explore the grounds a bit, and with any luck find a place with a breeze. Quietly stepping out so as not to disturb the two anthophiles, the woman made her way to the nursery's groves.

Here Redbud, Dogwood, and Crabapple blossoms danced back and forth in the wind, Robin's white hair moving to the same mute tune. Gratefully peeling off the sweat-soaked jacket that clung to her frame, she took a moment to relish the shifting air currents. It really was a lovely day.

The entire nursery was blanketed in a peaceful quiet, a lullaby crafted by rustling leaves and the distant song of birds. The hush of the nursery only served to heighten the loudness of sights around her. The vibrant blue of the sky clashed fantastically with the pearl and pink blossoms floating overhead, painting the groves in the vivid color of a child's dream. Honestly it was a bit sad. Robin was sure that if Chrom had actually taken a girl here on a date in earnest, she would have been head over heels for him.

 _Poor Lissa…_

She couldn't help but chuckle at the helplessness of the situation.

"What'cha laugh'n at?"

Robin screamed, and on instinct whipped around toward the voice, quickly pulling some pepper spray from her bag that she kept there in case of emergencies. Staring down the nozzle of the small can was a lightly scarred face partially obscured by wavy bangs, painted with surprise.

"Woah woah woah woah! I didn' mean to fright'n ya ma'am! I was jus' wonder'n what a pretty lady like you was do'n giggling by herself…Please put the pepper spray down?" he suggested, a slight quiver to his voice. "If it pleases you, ma'am."

Now that Robin's vision had focused, she could see that the boy in front of her was very clearly an employee of the nursery. He wore large gardening gloves, too large for his hands, and a dirt smattered shirt with the Warren's logo stitched into it. Relaxing her stance, she took a few moments to breath before readily addressing the gardener.

"I'm sorry," she started, "I hadn't expected anyone else to be up here. You caught me off guard."

"No no no! Don't apologize to me, ma'am! The fault was mine! If I hadn'tve snuck up on you like that, I wouldn'tve scared ya. Panne is always tell'n me to mind my manners better." He explained. Robin chuckled a bit. In a way, the boy in front of her reminded her of Chrom, though the gardener seemed to possess a touch more humility. "I don't believe I caught yer name? I'm Donnel, and I help run the nursery. Though I don't really do any of the fancy money count'n."

"I'm Robin, I'm here on an errand with the owner of the Shepherd's Bell," she answered.

At the mention of the flower shop, Donnel's face lit up in recognition, and he immediately back pedaled. "Oh gods! I'm so sorry, ma'am! You're Mr. Chrom's fiancée aren't ya!? Gods! I'm so stupid! I knew ya guys were come'n today too and I completely forgot! Please disregard all my 'pretty lady' talk. I didn't mean to be presumptuous or nothin'."

She laughed out loud, completely charmed by his embarrassment. She grabbed a hold of the boy's shoulder so that he wouldn't fall over from shock. "Hey, calm down now. It's okay," she chuckled. "We've never met before so you couldn't have known who I was. And to be fair, I'm the one who threatened you with pepper spray so it's my first impression that's on the line, not yours."

Donnel looked surprised. "That's mighty kind of you, Miss Robin. I was worried that you'd be angry at me. Mr. Chrom warned us that you were a fire brand, and I got worried that you'd tease me like Miss Lissa does. But you're _nothin'_ like how he described you! He should better cherish a wonderful lady like yourself!" He huffed.

Robin's eye twitched at the mention of Chrom's apparent description of herself. "Yes, well. Make sure you tell _Mr. Chrom_ that the next time you talk," she forced out through a false smile.

Completely oblivious to the woman's smoldering fury, Donnel gave a small salute. "Of course, ma'am! It'll be the first thing I do when I see 'im!"

At that he froze, confusion evident in his eyes. He scoped the area, but not finding what he was looking for, turned back to address Robin. "If ya don't mind me ask'n ma'am, where exactly is your husband-to-be?"

"Ah. He is back in the greenhouses with, um, Ms. Panne? They were discussing future business I believe. I couldn't really keep up with their conversation so I decided to poke around a bit on my own. I hope that's okay," she drawled.

"Course not!"

Now that wasn't the answer she had been expecting. Donnel had been so hospitable, that the sudden backlash shocked her into stillness.

"Oh. Um. I'm sorry I didn't-" Robin was cut off with an angry yank to her hand. She was barely able to keep up with Donnel as he practically dragged her across the grounds. She thought for sure that she was going to get kicked off the premise for wandering about unsupervised, but when the angered farmer took a sharp left turn, away from the front entrance and instead towards the greenhouses, the woman started to piece together what was about to actually happen. "Wait. Donnel, no I-"

With a sharp kick, the door threw open and the boy continued on inside, a defiant Robin pulled along in his wake. Chrom and Panne both turned towards the door, eyes wide from the unexpected intrusion. Before anyone could get a word in edgewise, Donnel shoved Robin none too gently into Chrom's chest before catching his eye.

"Look here Mr. Chrom! Miss Robin is a nice lady and instead of give'n her the attention and respect she deserves, ya leave her to be by her lonesome in a place she's never been! And to make matters worse, it's to go talk to another woman! Not to say that I don't respect ya and ya can't chat with Panne, but you should be more, ya know, _attentive_! Think of how she feels!"

Chrom stood there holding Robin in his arms, too shocked to do much else other than stutter out a quiet apology. The woman in question turned her head further into the florist's chest, trying to suffocate herself before she suffered further embarrassment.

"Instead of talk'n about apologies 'n inventory, how about ya buy your girl a flower or somethin'! Show her ya love her!" Before the boy could continue his tirade, a hand on his shoulder stopped him. Panne, noting Robin's reddening ears, decided that enough was enough.

"Donnel. This isn't a matter that you or I should be involved with. Chrom is a client, and his love life is his to do with as he pleases. I'm sure Ms. Robin would also prefer to handle her own affairs of the heart without aid. While I recognize you may have had good intentions, you crossed the line this time," she said, now turning to address the couple. "I apologize for him. I do believe we've had enough talk of business for today. Let's get you on your way so that you can get on with your plans, shall we?"

Robin was only too happy to follow Panne's pigtails straight out of the greenhouse. Chrom decided to follow suit, trailing close behind the two women's heels. Anything was better than spending another second with a fuming Donnel.

* * *

"So you missed my companionship that much?"

"For the umpteenth time, Chrom. Shut. Up."

The man jeered down at her.

"I'm just saying. I've never seen Donnel that riled up before. You must have made quite the impression."

After the awkward encounter at the nursery, the ride to their next destination had been rather, well, uncomfortable. It had come as a surprise to Robin when, instead of turning back to the city like expected, Chrom continued his course deeper into the countryside. He hadn't mentioned that he had plans for anything past the visit with Donnel and Panne, but unwilling to break the weird silence that had settled between the two of them, she didn't question the unanticipated detour.

That had changed however, after the two arrived in the small village of Southtown about an hour and a half later. The town was made up of small groupings of houses and shops, each retaining a touch of classic Ylissean charm from decades ago. Chrom slowed to a cruise, letting Robin take in all the sights.

It was as if they had been teleported back in time. People walked the sidewalks and horses pulling open-air carriages plodded down the road, the animals happy to go at their own leisurely pace. The floor was carpeted in green from the leaves of the Oak trees that stood proudly over the street that divided the town in two.

The ride was brought to an end when they pulled into a small dirt parking lot away from the town center. The place itself was unassuming, the only thing of note was a small sign that read 'Sacea Glen' in elegant, but worn out print. Chrom grabbed a cooler that was loaded in the storage compartment at the back of the bike and tucked it under his arm. By this point, Robin had already made her way to the front of the clearing, and was patiently propped up against the sign post waiting for her companion.

"Soooo…What exactly are we doing way out here in the middle of nowhere? You never told me," she said, standing fully to meet Chrom.

"What we are doing is for me to know and for you to find out. Over the short amount of time that I've had the pleasure of being your fiancé, I have found that there aren't many things that I know that you don't. Just let me relish this and trust me," he said, offering his free hand to her.

Robin eyed it with curiosity. Chrom took her trepidation as a sign that he had the advantage in this situation. Feeling a bit bold, he reached out and grabbed her hand in his, threading his fingers with hers before tugging her forward.

Try as she might, she couldn't fight back the blush that stained her cheeks. She would rather die than admit that this had been the first time she's ever held hands with someone. Robin had been schooled privately from home and was always being watched over by either her tutors, or her father. The world's expectations had been placed on her shoulders ever since Aversa passed up her claim to the company, so she really never had the time to consider dating when she was a teenager.

Chrom seemed so at ease with the action that it was almost embarrassing. She recalled that he had a girlfriend in high school, so it should have been no surprise that he was used to something as simple as this.

"You can relax, you know. Or is it too early for hand-holding?" he questioned, squeezing down a bit for emphasis. Now that she was paying attention, she realized that she was holding both their hands at a stiff ninety degree angle. She immediately relaxed her arm to better match Chrom's posture.

"U-um. No that's okay, it's just…been awhile."

"Well then, just leave it to the hand-holding master!" He swung both their hands up into the air, as though to showcase his prowess.

"Is there even such a thing?" She chuckled, her shoulders loosening slightly at Chrom's antics.

"I'll have you know that there is," he nodded, sagely. "I also hold the championship belt in best bear hugs."

"Oh, really?"

"Would you like me to prove it?"

She couldn't help herself. Robin burst out laughing. "I think you should take me out to dinner first."

Chrom didn't dignify her teasing with a response, instead falling victim to his own inability to keep a straight face. He couldn't help but smile, and tugged at her hand a bit more, urging her to pick up her pace.

"If that's the case, you'll have to wait a bit. Dinner isn't until sundown."

* * *

A single, perfectly shaped eyebrow lifted as she read over the email once more. Well, the plans for this evening's remodel may have to wait, but it should be worth the delay. After lightly typing up a response, Aversa returned her phone to its original place inside her purse.

"Pheros."

A blonde woman stood in the kitchen holding up two different backsplashes against a set of grey hardwood cabinets, too invested in her work to hear her name being called. Aversa tried again, though this time a definite edge was set in her tone.

" _Pheros._ "

Blue eyes travelled over to the Plegian, her attention finally focused on her partner. "Yes?"

"I have to leave a bit early today, it seems I have a date later this afternoon. Would you mind finishing up the kitchen on your own?" It was more of a statement than a question, but formalities were a necessity in this business.

"Of course not, just don't be late for work tomorrow because of it." Pheros quickly turned back to her own work, completely unfazed by the task set on her. Aversa had no doubt that she'd already planned to finish the project today anyway.

She turned on her heels, taking one final glance over the first floor décor before taking her leave.

A limousine was already waiting for her by the time she made it to the end of the driveway, Mustafa standing ready to help her inside.

"Are we going to the usual place, Miss?" he asked, making himself comfortable in the driver's seat. He positioned the rearview mirror to get a better view of his passenger.

"Yes, Mustafa, though I do wish to pick up a gift before I get there."

"Of course, Miss."

* * *

Robin's grasp was stronger than he thought it'd be. He'd always been taught to handle women with delicacy. That they were frail and should be treated with care, but her grip was just as solid as any other person he'd shaken hands with. Though that didn't really surprise him. If there was one way he could describe her, it'd be as a force of nature. One that could push and pull anyone around her to her own rhythm. Maybe that's why he thought taking her here of all places would be fitting.

Chrom walked a bit faster, just that much more excited to reach his destination. He had a feeling that she would appreciate what he had in mind more than others would have. Patterns of light danced over them as they dodged and weaved among the trees, the sun just barely breaking through the ceiling of foliage that swayed overhead. Chrom had always loved the hiking trails of Sacea Glen. While most of central Ylisse was plain lands, Southtown sat on a river valley just at the foot of the Coastal Mountain Range. The glen had been formed when runoff from the mountains carved the land below, scaring the terrain with rivers and small waterfalls. To him, there was nowhere as beautiful in Ylisse.

"Stop smiling so much, you're giving me the creeps."

Chrom laughed again. "What? Is it wrong to be happy that my wonderful 'fiancée' was jealous of a coworker stealing away my attention." The florist couldn't contain his glee. For once he had the upper hand in teasing Robin. Grima himself could descend from the sky, and he still wouldn't let this opportunity slide.

Robin hid her face in her hand, desperately trying to shield herself from any further shame.

"For the last time, it wasn't like that," she groaned, her words becoming slightly muffled by her palm.

"I dunno, from what I heard-"

"One more quip out of you and I tell Lissa about Frederick's pancake lessons."

That shut him up real quick.

"Fine, fine. You win," he conceded. He let a silence fall between the two, thinking it best for now that he let Robin enjoy the scenery rather than be distracted by idle chatter. They had gotten to a part of the walking trail that levelled parallel to a river bank. Here the water flowed slowly over the rounded stone of the river bed. Chrom could see small fish swimming against the current, whether they were minnows or some other species he could no longer recall. He released his grasp on Robin's hand so that he could get a closer look.

Quickly removing his shoes and rolling up his pants, he let his feet soak in the water, his nerves tingling from the sudden chill. He sat back on his hands, savoring the familiar feeling from his childhood. He had forgotten how long it has been since his last visit.

"Okay. I gotta hand it to you. This place is pretty cool." Robin dropped down beside him, her own feet made bare so she could also enjoy the current. "Maybe you aren't so romantically hopeless after all."

"Ha ha. I'll have you know that I put a lot of thought into this date. It's been a while, but you asked to be wooed so here it is," he said, gesturing to the surrounding forest. "Though I suppose I can't take all the credit. Hiking was Stahl's idea. I just made a few adjustments to his original suggestions."

"Like taking me shopping for flowers and fertilizer?" Robin laughed, veiling a smile behind her hand. Chrom reddened a bit at the accusation.

"Errr. Yeah, I suppose in hindsight that wasn't such a great idea. Honestly, I was just trying to save on some gas money so I wouldn't have to make the trip later," he admitted, scratching at the back of his head.

"Mmm. Well I can't really say that I blame you. I probably would have done the same. No point in throwing away money _and_ gas." Robin's eyes were trained on a small grouping of fish that were darting around just a few inches in front of her. She swung her leg out in a halfhearted attempt to touch one. "And I can say that this already made up for today's earlier mishaps. I never knew that there were places like this in Ylisse."

"My father used to do business in Ferox, and there were quite a few glens up there. Once he found out about this one, he invested some of his money in the tourist industry here. Because of that, I used to come here often as a kid." He smiled. Chrom remembered the times before the family split with a sort of melancholy sweetness. He'd always avoided coming back here because the last time he visited, all five of them had been together. Had been happy. But he was grown now, those years long behind him. Just like Robin, he didn't want to be tied down by the wrong doings of his father.

"In Plegia, the only rivers you'd see were man-made canals. Not really the best for a foot bath." She wiggled her toes a bit, disturbing the surface of the water.

His head whipped up.

"You're from Plegia?" The moment the words left his mouth, he immediately regretted them. "Not that that's bad or anything! You just don't really look Plegian, is all. Though I suppose the white hair should have been a giveaway..."

 _Gods, why am I so bad at this._

Robin didn't say anything about Chrom's abashment. Instead she simply responded, as though his reaction had been completely normal. That was almost worse. "Yes, though my mother was Valmese. I suppose that's why I'm so pale. But I was raised in Plegia's capital, along with my sister, and lived there up until just a few years ago when I moved here for college. My father wasn't too happy about my choice, but he couldn't argue with the fact that Prism Uni had the best Marketing program."

"You're into marketing?" he questioned, glad that Robin changed the subject so smoothly.

She nodded. "Mhm, I double majored in Marketing and Management, with a minor in Graphics. My father wanted me to take up business or law, but I like the challenge of figuring out how to make a product a total success."

"Gods... A double major _and_ a minor? What'd you do? Sell your soul?" Chrom balked. She threw her head back and let out a short laugh.

"To Grima himself," she snorted. "Honestly, sometimes that's how it felt. Not for a second do I miss those exams."

"I can imagine, though I can't say that I'm surprised that you managed all that. I'm sure if you set your mind to it, you could bring down an empire on your own. And I mean that as the highest of compliments. I wish I had half the brains you did. Maybe the shop would be doing better," he laughed. Robin ducked her head, a soft smile gracing her lips. She twirled a strand of hair between her fingers, focusing her eyes on the movement rather than on the man next to her.

"Thank you, but I'm not that spectacular. If I had been smarter, I would have been able to figure out how to fix my problems without involving you and Lissa," she said.

Chrom scrunched his nose a bit, clearly confused by her reasoning. "Y'know, that must have been the stupidest thing that's come out of your mouth since I've met you," he stated wryly.

"How so?"

He held up his hand, counting off his examples on each finger. "You read books like you drink water. I've seen you do the crosswords in the morning paper in five minutes or less. You learned in a single week what took me months, and to top it all off, you can manage to hold a conversation with Miriel for longer than her own boyfriend. You are probably the smartest person I've ever met."

When he was finished, he combed his fingers through his hair, straightening a few strands of blue that had been tussled by the wind. The next part he said with a bit more uncertainty. "…Besides, I'm kinda glad things ended up like this."

The apparent meaning behind his words was immediately received by the both of them, Robin's eyes widening significantly at the sudden confession as Chrom's face flushed red. His mouth flapped like a fish as he scrambled to find the correct words to explain himself.

Once he found that he couldn't compose a single sentence in his defense, the florist settled for burying his face into his hands. To his dismay, Robin broke out into a fit of giggles beside him, her shoulders shaking as she doubled over.

"It's not funny," Chrom groaned.

Robin reached over and pat him lightly on the back, but her attempt at encouragement was marred by the fact that she was clearly trying to stop herself from falling back into laughter once more.

"You flatter me," she breathed, her lips still bent upward in a small smile.

He lightly shoved at Robin, sending her tumbling sideways with a small yelp, but he straightened up none the less. "What I _meant_ was that I'm glad that I got to know you. I never really noticed before, but it's been a while since I've truly been able to hang out with someone." He paused to let Robin right herself, only caring to continue when she was ready. "I'd always been so busy with Lissa and the store that I suppose I let the time get away from me. It's… nice to have someone that I can just joke around and be myself with. With you, I'm not 'the boss' or 'the older brother'. I can just be Chrom. So thank you, for that."

Robin trained her gaze on the sky, his words sobering her demeanor. Brown eyes traced the branches and leaves above her as she thought on her words. Chrom noticed that she often liked to focus on movement when she was contemplating something, though it seemed more habitual rather than a deliberate practice.

A few moments passed before she stirred. Seemingly happy with the response she formulated, she turned to him with the same cat-like grin he'd grown so used to in the past few weeks.

"Do you believe in fate, Chrom?"

* * *

Lissa sat propped up on one arm, her cheek pressed into her palm as she struggled to keep her head from falling. She decided that once Chrom came back, she was going to murder him. Miriel stood beside her, ledger in hand and glasses precariously perched at the top of her nose. She had lost track of what the accountant had been talking about a good half an hour ago, and was currently trying her best to not fall asleep.

He had to have known she was coming today. He _had_ to. Not only did he leave his poor little sister to fend for herself, but he even had the nerve to steal Robin along with him when he left! How was it fair that those two got to go have fun while she was stuck here to be tortured?

"Miss Lissa?"

"Yes?" she drawled.

"Did you hear me? I need you to sign off on this payment plan or else we cannot proceed with our next undertaking. Unless you'd prefer that we reschedule our conference for a later date? Perhaps when your brother or Robin has returned to further confabulate about and assist in solidifying a more admissible arrangement? It is best that we confirm our stratagem at the upmost haste, but if you find it more agreeable to wait…"

Lissa's eyes slowly moved to meet Miriel's, exasperation clear on her face. "Is 'confabulate' even a word?"

"Indeed it is. It means to 'converse', or 'talk' I suppose," she answered.

"Ah. Yeah, then let's go with that." Lissa finally allowed her head to fall to the countertop. Her gold pigtails splayed in various directions as she made herself more comfortable on her arms. At least now this wouldn't be her issue. Chrom wouldn't be getting off that easily.

Miriel's red hair swayed as she bobbed her head in agreement. She quickly collected her paperwork and took a step back. "Then, if it pleases you, I shall be on my way."

Not even bothering to look up, Lissa mumbled a goodbye into her arm. At last she was finally able to relax a bit.

Stahl poked his head out from behind the back room, cautiously scoping the area for signs of a certain intellectual. "Is she gone?" He took a few more steps from his hiding place before realizing that Miriel was nowhere to be seen, and breathed a small sigh of relief.

"Sorry about that. She just intimidates me a bit. She never stops staring at me whenever I am around to work."

"Trust me, I completely understand. I would have hid too if I could have." Lissa's head popped up, a newfound energy in her eyes. "Tell you what! You get Livvy to make me some more of those raspberry linzer torte cookies and I'll forgive you!"

Stahl let out a small laugh. "Well I suppose if-" The chime of the front door cut him off from his sentence. "Ah, I guess I'll get back to work. I'll be in the back if you need help, kay?"

Stahl slipped silently into the back as Lissa turned her attention to the customer at the front of the store. She was strikingly beautiful. Long white hair fell down to the woman's chest, contrasting beautifully with her tan skin. Her purple eyes scanned the shop briefly before she decided to step further inside.

Lissa hopped down from her seat and approached the customer with a friendly smile, as she had been taught. "Hello, welcome to the Shepherd's Bell. My name is Lissa, is there anything I can help you with today?"

The woman's gaze glided lazily to rest upon the blonde, the easy confidence with which she moved was almost startling. A small smile graced her painted lips, though it didn't reach all the way up to her eyes.

"Yes, if you don't mind, I would like to purchase a bouquet." After a bit of walking she came to a stop in front of a bushel of yellow flowers. She ran a manicured nail over one of the petals. Lissa watched with fascination.

"Are you upset with someone? Marigold means 'cruelty'. Not the best flower for well-intentioned greetings. Though they are quite pretty."

"Oh? Well they _are_ beautiful. What else can you tell me about flower meanings?" the woman mused, her tone only betraying a slight interest in the topic.

Lissa took her time explaining the various meaning of different colors and species, careful to show her ones that paired well or made for good bouquet composition. In the end, the customer settled on a simple two flower piece.

"Are you sure you want _these_ ones?" Lissa cautioned. "They are a bit… um…"

"Yes, I'm quite sure. Can I have the bouquet made immediately? I am more than willing to pay extra for a rush fee." Lissa caught on to the fact that she was not to question any more than she already did. Despite this, she could already feel her curiosity boiling over. In her arm, she rearranged the marigold from earlier and some petunia blossoms.

 _Curelty and anger, huh?_

"If it's okay with you, I will be making the bouquet. My brother, the store owner, is out today. I'm not nearly as skilled as he is at arrangements, but if it's simple, I should be able to handle it," Lissa said.

"That's fine, I need it in an hour so I'm afraid I can't wait."

Lissa went about creating the bouquet, placing purple and yellow intermediately. It wasn't the best looking, but she thought it was still pretty at least. As she did her work, her mind wandered to the customer. That woman was kinda strange, but in a way she reminded her a bit of Robin. She remembered the story that Chrom told her about when they had first met. Robin had come in to buy a bouquet of insults too. A small giggle escaped her lips.

"Is there something amusing about my selection?"

Lissa squeaked and jumped, almost destroying all the work that she had accomplished.

"N-No! Of course not! It's just that your order reminded me of a friend of mine's. She ordered something similar."

"Oh?" The noise escaped the woman's lips in the form of a sigh.

"Yeah. Something about giving it to her douchebag father." Lissa continued. The lady's hair spilled forward as she leaned over slightly, chuckling as she did so. The blonde quickly realized her mistake and moved to correct herself. "My apologies for the language."

The customer waved it off with the sway of a hand. "Pay no mind. Your friend sounds interesting."

"Oh yeah! She's super funny, and really smart." Lissa turned, the bushel of flowers in hand. "It's done. What type of ribbon would you like?"

"Mmm. The purple one will do. The person I'm gifting these to is rather…fond of that color."

Lissa did her best to quickly wrap up the flowers. She was starting to find that this really pretty person was kinda scary.

The woman quietly signed the receipt, beautiful script flowing across the bottom of the paper in the form of a signature. Gliding it back toward the cashier, she stood to leave.

"Give your brother my best regards. He runs a lovely little shop. I may return here to do business in the future."

Her blonde pigtails bobbed as Lissa's head jerked up. "Of course!"

She may not like this lady, but the store needed the money. And if anything, Chrom would probably be the one doing business more than her anyway. "Return any time!"

"And a good day to you." The woman strode out of the store, her hips and white hair swaying as she did. The bell chimed once more, as it always did, to signal her departure.

The blonde returned to her place on the stool, folding her dress below her as she tried to sit. The white slip on the counter caught her eye. Lissa dragged it closer, bringing it up to her face to better read the name at the bottom. The script was rather decorative, but after a few minutes of deciphering she could only scratch her head in confusion. Surely she was reading this wrong.

The receipt fell into a small basket beside the register, placed there to be stored and recorded at a later date. It was best not to think about it too much. After all, coincidences like that just don't happen.

 _A. Dohlr._

Lissa shook her head. She'd have to ask Robin about it later. Maybe it was just a common last name. She let out a small whine.

 _Why was I the only one left behind?_

* * *

"Do you believe in fate, Chrom?"

The sudden question caught him off guard.

 _Fate?_

Robin leaned back on her hands, mimicking his own posture. "You see, I don't like the idea that there's some scripted plan for everyone, with no choice for deviation and change. That's why… I count myself lucky to call you and everyone else at the flower shop a friend. There had been so many different paths that I could have taken that day, but the one I chose lead me to where I am now. Because I'd just _happened_ to get more upset than usual, I went out of my way to go to my favorite bookstore. I'd just _happened_ to pass by the Shepherd's Bell on the way back home, and in my rage, just _happened_ to remember a conversation with Sumia about flower meaning and decided to stop in," she paused, tucking a stray hair back into one of her braids. She thought for a moment before continuing. "Point is, if I had been just a little less angry, I might have settled for a closer store. Or had I not talked to Sumia that day, I may not have thought to buy a bouquet. But because all of those things _did_ happen, I'm sitting here. Honestly, I couldn't be happier with how things turned out, so thank _you_ for that."

By the time Robin finished, her impish grin had morphed into something a bit softer. There was just the slightest upturn to her mouth, but her eyes still held a mocking glint. It reminded him of the first day he'd met her. Her eyes had held the same glint when she called out her name amidst the rain back then too.

Chrom breathed a chuckle, not sure whether to be amused or confounded about how this woman always managed to turn his words around on him. Either way, he didn't care. In fact, he found Robin's playful jabs at him to be kind of cute.

 _Wait. What?_

The thought had popped into his head before he had time to process it. Did he think Robin was cute? He knew that she was smart and funny, and he always enjoyed his time with her, but he had never took the time to really think of her in that light. He supposed that she was pretty, even Lissa had said so herself plenty of times. And she always smelled kinda nice. But did he-

"Chrom?" Robin was leaning towards him, her gaze focused on him from behind long lashes. "Are you okay? You've been pretty quiet." Her brows tilted just the slightest fraction of an inch, her lips now pulled down in a small pout. A strand of hair fell into her face, brushed there by the unseen hand of the wind.

Chrom suddenly realized just how close they were sitting. Only a few inches separated the space between their shoulders, though Robin was slowly lessening the gap as she tilted closer in curiosity. Though he could swear that the pounding in his chest could rival that of a Chon'sin drum festival, even that didn't manage to drown out the sound of her voice in his ears.

Reeling from the unexpected confusion, Chrom struggled to put distance between the two of them, desperate to do anything to calm the noise in his head. Before he could find his own balance, the moss-slicked river rocks below his feet sent him pitching sideways into the river as he moved to stand.

For a single moment, the cold water was able to chase away the discord within him and replace it with shock and numbness. The silence of emotions was a welcome respite for him to collect himself, but his composure completely fell apart the second he looked up from his spot in the creek.

Robin was standing now, a hand clutching her stomach as the other one unsuccessfully tried to muffle her laughter. More hair fell into her face as she bent over to help him up, white strands glowing in the late afternoon sunlight. She was beautiful.

"Are you okay?" Her voice was breathy from trying to contain her joy, small tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. Her palm was turned up, offered as an anchor to pull him from his spot in the riverbed.

Unfortunately, her proffered help did anything but anchor him. What did he feel? He cared for her, but could he say that it was anything as more than friends. How would he know? Chrom thought back to the first conversation he'd had on this with his mother and Emm. They'd laughed at him, amused at the simple curiosities of a child, and had just said 'You'll know'. You'll know. Those words were useless to him now, as he sat, completely befuddled by the state that a simple laugh has left him in.

For all he knew, this could be a mistake. A misunderstanding that was thought over too much. It could be perfectly normal to think your friend was attractive, but that doesn't mean that you have to _like_ like them right?

His thoughts stilled the moment that his hand slipped into hers. He hadn't even noticed that he had reached to grab it before he was already being pulled to his feet. Her grip had been just as solid as before, but now Chrom noticed the other subtleties in her touch. It was just as steady as before, but her palm was soft and unscarred. Her grasp clearly carried a strong confidence about it, but it was also incredibly warm. The realization jarred him, but made him smile all the same. Steady and soft. Strong and warm. Just like she was.

"Oh Gods, look at you. You're soaking wet," she huffed, an edge of amusement still clinging to her words. "Did I scare you that badly?"

"U-Um, no. It's just that- That I, um…" Chrom struggled to find the words. What was he supposed to say? His head was spinning, clouded by his own inner turbulence. Robin stared at him expectantly, her expression composed and inviting. He envied her for it, but found the words he longed for in her eyes.

He cleared his throat.

"I was just gonna say… that I'm really glad I got to meet you too..." he mumbled, eyes studying the pools of water that had now formed around his feet, a soft smile finding its way onto his face despite himself. He knew he spoke the truth. Whether he liked her as a friend or possibly something more, none of that mattered. All that he knew was that, somewhere along these few weeks, Robin had managed to worm her way into his life, and he was thankful for that.

"Well I'm glad then. It would have been awkward if you didn't feel the same after I went to the trouble of giving an entire speech," she chuckled, unaware of the irony in her own words.

A sudden breeze blew through the forest, sending leaves dancing down all around them. Several fell into the water, quickly pulled away by the current. Chrom shivered, drawing his arms closer to himself to preserve body heat.

Robin watched the movement closely, her eyes darting between the florist, the sky, and then back to the florist again. A small scowl caused the laugh lines near her mouth to vanish. She was clearly displeased at the perpetual drops of water that fell from his jacket.

"It's getting a bit late. I doubt that we have enough sunlight left in the day to get you fully dried. As loathe as I am to say this, maybe we should cut our expedition short," she mused, turning back in the direction that they had come.

The sight of Robin's back as she retreated further down the trail sent an instant stab of regret through his chest, as though he'd just been struck with an arrow. He had wanted to show her his favorite place as a child, but now because of his inadequacy, she wouldn't get to see it.

Before he could stop himself, his hand had already found its way to her shoulder, effectively stopping her from taking a single step more.

"N-No, wait! I'm fine. I still had more things planned, so let's not go back just yet okay?" he implored.

Robin gave him a skeptical eye, her hair cascading from her shoulder to the middle of her back from the movement. "Chrom, don't be silly. There is no reason to continue on if it means that you'll catch your death. You made me dress warm because it gets chilly in the foothills at night, right?"

"Well, yes but-"

"Then we should go back. I'd feel terrible should you get sick just because of my stupid little scheme," she insisted.

"But-" He scoped his surroundings, searching for any excuse as to why they should stay awhile longer. They finally landed on a small unassuming cooler sitting at the edge of the river. "The food I prepared would go to waste if we went back now! Frederick put a lot of work into it. Surely we can wait just a while longer?"

Pleading, slate-blue eyes met Robin's steadfast ones, silently communicating his desire to stay. After a few tense moments of silence, she resigned to his begging with a tired sigh. "Alright. I suppose if Frederick really did go through the trouble of cooking for us, I can't exactly throw it out," she said the last part with a huff, as though she were upset that she hadn't figured out the origins of the homemade contents sooner. "However, I have conditions."

Chrom was smiling ear-to-ear, content that he had managed to convince her to stay. "Of course. Name them and they shall be obeyed," he replied.

"First, if the temperature drops below sixty-five degrees, we leave immediately. Second, we head back as soon as we finish eating. Lastly, I don't want to hear any complaining from you if you get sick. You're the one that wanted to stay even though you're as water-logged as a mop," she deadpanned.

"Is that all?" he queried, excited impatience evident in his tone.

Robin rolled her eyes, but his enthusiasm was contagious. A small grin just barely graced her lips. "Yes."

Chrom haphazardly slipped back on his dirt-stained sneakers, too happy to be put off by the feeling of wet skin rubbing against old socks. He was practically flying now, eager to get going before the sun dipped any farther into the forest-obscured horizon. He was so eager, in fact, that he almost missed the slight pressure against his palm.

The sudden warmth contrasted with his frigid hands, made cool by his earlier fall into the river. Robin was staring up at him, her hand grasped in his. "Shall we?"

Chrom shoved all the thoughts that had raced through his head into the deepest corner of his mind. Right now, Robin deserved better company than an emotionally confused halfwit, and Naga be damned if he was going to allow himself to ruin the surprise he had planned. He decided that if he was going to figure out how he felt, that would have to wait for later.

"Yeah, it's just up ahead. Let's go."

The two set off further down the path, dirt and stone crunching beneath them as they stepped in sync, both content with their only company being each other and the trees.

* * *

Aversa's heels clacked against smooth sandstone tile, echoing down the hallway heralding her arrival. A purple and yellow bouquet laid snuggly in her arms. She reached the end of the hall, two large hardwood doors stood closed, built to keep out unwanted noise and people both. Her fist rapped lightly on one of them, but she didn't wait to be invited before she let herself in.

The late afternoon sun threatened to blind her through the tall arched windows of her father's office, and the smell of old books threatened to choke her. Dust floated about the room, illuminated by the golden glow, casting the room in a deceivingly serene atmosphere. That _man_ sat, head propped up behind folded hands, eyeing her from behind his desk as she placed the flowers in one of the many black and gold vases that decorated the room. A touch that she herself had added to make her father feel more at home.

"It is unusual for you to call me here, father. Has something interesting happened as of late?" Her voice was cool and calculating, a perfect mask mimicking her expression.

"Aversa, my daughter. Is it wrong for me to long for the company of my own blood?" he questioned, his own intent hidden behind a calculated smile.

Aversa knew this routine well. She would arrive at his beck and call, greeted by false niceties and salutations, before the questioning would begin. She made herself comfortable in one of the chairs across from him, her countenance the perfect picture of posture. Just as she had been taught.

"Of course not, father. I only fear the worse for my poor, sweet little sister after I received your rather unexpected summons. Is there any news on her?" She tried her best to sound appropriately concerned, working hard to fight down the smirk that hid beneath her charade.

Validar hissed, combing his expertly trimmed goatee between his fingers. "No. Robin has not been found yet. It was incredibly selfish of her to leave as she did. Because she insists upon acting like a _petulant child-_ " he spat, "she threatens the wellbeing of this family. I went to all that trouble arranging a marriage to that _Ylissean_ doctor, and now he comes to me today saying that he wishes to cancel the engagement!" He slammed his hand upon the desk, sending pencils and pens flying to the side. She refused to flinch, already used to her father's shows of anger.

He moved to stand before one of the windows, his reflection still clearly visible to Aversa. "The _nerve_ of him! A _YLISSEAN_ thinks _he_ has the right to break a contract with _me_! After I gave him the chance to be so much more than his measly countrymen, he throws it back in my face! Ungrateful!" With a stray hand, the vase and the flowers both were sent tumbling to the floor. The colors of Plegia lay scattered across the tile in the forms of petals and pottery shards. A shame.

"I'm sorry that you lost the opportunity with Ylisstol Medical Center. I'm sure you will find your way into the business through more, agreeable, means," she recited. It was becoming hard not to smile at his rage. She'd have to thank Robin when she had the chance.

"Damn your sister, she has humiliated me," he growled, seating himself again.

"I'm sure she will be very apologetic when she returns home, father." Her lids hooded her mauve eyes, closed in mock assurance. This was too fun.

"Of course she will. I'll make sure of it myself. Leave me now, and tell me if you receive any word from her."

Aversa stood to go, straightening her black pencil skirt back into place. "Of course, father."

As the door clicked closed behind her, she finally allowed herself the satisfaction of a small smirk to dance upon her lips.

 _This will be fun indeed._

* * *

A/N: Hey guys! Yay~ Update! Wooooo, this was a long chapter. BUT FINALLY SOME DEVELOPMENT! What are emotions? Who knows? Chrom certainly doesn't.

I'm so happy that I got this one done, cause I was so unsure of how I wanted to write it. I hope you guys enjoyed this and let me know what you think!

* * *

Character ages:

Donnel: 20

Panne: 31

Aversa: 33

Validad (ew): 56

* * *

As a special treat, my boyfriend decided to try and hide a little blurb in my fanfic for you guys while I was writing it. Luckily I caught it before posting this, but I thought I'd include it all the same. For reference, we both just finished FE Warriors, which is why this piece of... something exists. Hope you like/hate it. Fair warning it's kinda M/E rated? Kinda?

Chrom looked at dat booty. Male Robin flexed his buttocks in response.

Chrom groaned as his Falchion began to tear through his pants.

"Our bond is stronger than fate," Chrom moaned.

The end.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Mourning and Monk's Hood

* * *

Lissa shifted uncomfortably between both Chrom and Robin, hair sticking to her forehead and cheeks despite her efforts this morning to work it into something manageable. Honestly, she had hoped that by now they _surely_ would have made up, but the suffocating silence stood as a testament to the contrary. The humidity and sucky weather were one thing, but she really didn't need a tantrum making her day worse than it already was.

A small cough came from her left, but the disturbance did little to break Chrom's attention on the road ahead. Lissa desperately hoped that Robin would at least say something in the way of conversation, to her or her brother she didn't care. Unfortunately, her silent pleas went unheard as the other woman's gaze remained stubbornly trained on the small rivulets of rainwater that ran down her window.

Ugh. _She_ was supposed to be the youngest one here. So why was it that she was acting the least childish? The blonde adjusted the flower arrangement in her lap to lay better across her legs, attempting not to crumple the beautiful petals in the process. This job was the only thing keeping Lissa from suffocating herself with the crusty, gray cushions behind her head.

The screech of rusted breaks interrupted both her thoughts and the gentle hum of the engine as the van lurched to a stop beside the curb. Lissa cringed as Robin flung the door open, probably harder than necessary judging by the sharp groan of the hinges. Before she could even raise an objection, Robin was already halfway down the walkway, completely unfazed by the light drizzle falling overhead. Lissa huffed a bit, having already lost hope of getting the white haired woman to open up about what was on her mind. Instead, she chose to tackle the smaller obstacle at hand, and focused her attention on her older brother.

"What did you do?" she accused, eyes narrowing as she stared Chrom down. The both of them hopped out of the van, the elder going around back to pull more flowers out of the trunk.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he huffed. He jerked the trunk doors open, cursing a bit as one swung loose from its hinge and hung at an awkward angle.

"You big, fat LIAR! I don't know what happened two days ago, but ever since you two came home from your trip, you guys hardly even look at each other! I would've been able to tell something was up even if you HADN'T come home with that bruised gash on your face!" Lissa aimed an accusing finger towards the angry red mark just above Chrom's brow. He flinched away from her, not daring to meet her gaze.

"Just leave it be. Robin's a grown woman, she can handle herself without us having to worry over her all the time." The statement sounded more like a sad mockery than an actual argument.

"You're sulking," she deadpanned. He didn't even try to deny it. Rather, he focused on pulling pot after pot out from the back.

 _How exasperating…_

"Okay, listen. I don't care about the funkthat you two are going through, but you need to get your act together. Our customers are already dealing with the unimaginable, they don't need a moody florist adding to their issues. Go home and help out Stahl with the store if you aren't up to today's job."

Chrom carefully pushed the door back into place, his eyes clouded over in thought. "You don't need to remind me. I'll do my best to not get in the way." He hoisted up two of the pots that rested by his feet, each one acting as a barrier to Lissa's questioning stares. "Come on, we should head inside before these get muddy."

The man set off at a brisk pace down the walkway, not bothering to look back at her. Lissa looked on in tired frustration. Whatever drama happened between Robin and her brother couldn't have come at a worse time.

She took a moment to collect herself before following suit, a small bouquet of xeranthemum and white carnations resting gently in her arms. Her black dress floated behind her as she hurried to catch up to Chrom, the latter already waiting patiently at the entrance. Lissa's eyes traveled up to the big letters that hung on the wall above.

 **Valla Funeral Home.**

She took a deep breath. Chrom sent her one last look, just barely bobbing his head in a small nod to assure her that everything would be fine.

Side by side, they stepped through the door.

* * *

Robin tugged the midnight cardigan tighter across her chest again. Though they were almost the same size, Maribelle's shoulders were just a tad too small for her comfort, but the pull of slightly damp fabric was a welcome distraction. Anything to keep her attention occupied, away from the two strangers who lingered with their backs turned to her.

Gods, she may be in a bit of a sore spot with him at the moment, but she greatly regretted coming in here without Chrom. She wasn't exactly trained to deal with situations like these.

A young man and woman stood at the front of the room, heads bowed towards two adjacent caskets. She hadn't announced her arrival for fear of interrupting them during their mourning, so she stood silent as a statue waiting to be called upon.

Robin went back to pulling at her jacket to keep her gaze from wandering to the two coffins. One was much smaller than it should have been, obviously built for a child. She snapped her eyes shut once more.

 _Remain composed and professional. Assure the clients that they are in good hands._

Stahl's last bit of advice to her before she'd left echoed in her head, over and over. She shouldn't have come here, she wasn't prepared for this.

It wasn't until she felt a light squeeze on her shoulder that she noticed she was on the verge of hyperventilating. Lissa stood beside her, a hand resting lightly on her arm. Barely above a whisper, the blonde began counting up to ten, and with each number Robin found that her breath slowed, air finally returning to her lungs.

"Better?" Lissa sent her a small smile before returning her attention to the front of the room.

"Yes. Thank you." So much for being composed.

Chrom cleared his throat, ducking his head into his sleeve to muffle the noise. He set two arrangements down on the floor beside them. One stood tall, piled high with large white lilies and purple Gladioli blossoms. The other was a shorter piece, though not lacking in beauty. The stark white petals of the carnation contrasted with the vibrancy of the violet xeranthemum well. White and purple.

Robin shook her head to clear it of such thoughts. Chrom was only doing a splendid job, as usual.

"You guys wait here. I'll go talk to them," he said.

Lissa sent a slightly startled look after her brother, her mouth opened in what looked like concerned protest. "Wait, I can-"

He gazed over his shoulder, dull blue eyes ghosting over Robin before coming back to rest on his sister. She hated the way it made her feel empty. "No, stay here." His words were final.

Robin watched his back as he walked down the aisle, eventually coming to a stop behind the purple haired woman. Though he carried himself with confidence, she could tell by the set of his shoulders that it was a mere bluff. So there were things even _he_ was scared of. Robin quickly diverted her attention from the man in question, not wanting to linger on him lest she invite back unpleasant feelings. Instead she studied their clients for the day.

The lady Chrom was talking to had to have been Camilla Krakenburg. She had been the one to first call in the order. She was lovely, even when her face was red and puffy. The boy standing beside her was probably her younger brother, Leo. He looked no older than seventeen, still too young to be going through such a loss. Robin's attention drifted to the coffins once more.

Xander and Elise Krakenburg. Both died four days ago in a car crash while crossing a busy intersection. Robin remembered hearing about it on the news, but never thought that she'd be working the funeral. Apparently, they had been on the way to drop Elise off at summer camp and were both broadsided by a driver who ran a red light.

She scratched at her elbow uncomfortably. The Krakenburgs had been a family of interest to her father, and on more than one occasion he'd brought up a possible marriage between Aversa and their eldest son. The fact that the other half of that "deal" now rested peacefully just a few feet from her left a metallic taste in her mouth. It was nauseating.

"Hey, Lissa, I'm-I'm just gonna go outside and get some fresh air, okay? I'll be right back."

Lissa looked up from the group of bouquets she'd been toying with, her head cocked to the side. "Hm? Okay. Do you want someone to come with you?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I'll be fine. Just feeling a bit dizzy. You get started on setting up the flowers, and I'll come back in a bit to help."

"…Alright. Let me know if you need anything," Lissa said tentatively. If it were any other time, she would have appreciated the concern. She wasn't used to having people worry after her so much, and to be honest it was refreshing. But she just needed to be left alone to collect her thoughts.

* * *

Though it was humid, the misty breeze felt cooling on her skin, offering a welcome distraction from the stifling thoughts that waited for her behind those doors. Her hair rustled in the forceful wind, white strands whipping around her face and threatening to pull free from her braided ponytail.

Robin took a deep breath in through her nose, and then another, and another. The air smelled of rain, wet leaves, and car exhaust. Far less pleasant than the scent of the Ylissean countryside. The Warren flashed into her mind; clear skies and orchards of pink and white. The memory tickled her nose with a kinder smell, one of flowers and fresh dirt, and her heart squeezed at the thought. That time felt so far away from her.

"Not the nicest weather, is it?"

Robin started. She'd been so absorbed in thought that she hadn't noticed the lilac-haired woman approach her from behind.

"Sorry, Darling. I didn't mean to frighten you. But you were giving quite a glare to those clouds." She nodded upwards, motioning to the apparent storm above. "Though I can't say I blame you. If it were up to me, the sky would be the purest blue imaginable and no one would be able to recall a brighter sun. That's how Elise would have liked it."

The certainty with which she spoke those words left Robin speechless. Her voice hadn't wavered once, a warm smile gracing her lips as she spoke of her deceased sister. She couldn't even fathom how much strength that took the woman.

She fiddled with her thumbs unsure of what to say or do. Condolences were the traditional response to such an interaction, and yet, Robin doubted that the words of some florist's assistant would be of any comfort to her.

"Would you like to take a walk with me? Not anywhere far. Just enough to enjoy the breeze," Camilla added.

A single magenta eye was lazily focused on Robin, encouraging a response.

"That sounds nice."

Camilla seemed to brighten slightly at her reply, her shoulders relaxing by a fraction of an inch. "Wonderful. Shall we?"

She held out an arm as though she were about to lead Robin onto a dance floor. It was only then that she realized just how tall Camilla was. If she had to guess, she was probably just an inch shorter than Chrom, and that wasn't including her four inches heels.

"Um, yes."

 _Smooth, Robin._

She took the offered arm and did her best to match strides with the woman besides her. She felt severely outclassed, despite their likely similar upbringings. Robin could barely keep up as she trudged along in her flats and slacks, whereas Camilla made working pumps and an evening gown look easy. It was hard to not be intimidated by that sort of natural grace.

"So," Camilla began. "What is the daughter of Validar, president of the multi-million dollar company Dohlr Insurance, doing handling fertilizer?"

The accusation almost made her trip over her own feet. That wasn't what she had been expecting. "Um-"

"Oh, don't worry about covering it up with some lie. I've been aware of the drama going on in your family for quite some time now. Imagine my surprise when the missing heiress to one of the most influential insurance corporations shows up with handfuls of lilies and carnations. It was quite a sight." She covered her mouth to mask her amusement.

"…If you don't mind, I'd like to keep my whereabouts a secret. I promise, if there is anything I could do for you in return, you will have it. Even company secrets wouldn't be-" Robin babbled.

"Now, now. No need for hastily made promises. I have a pretty good idea of why you made your decision." She cast Robin a knowing smile, sending a subtle wink in her direction.

"Huh?" Gods, she sounded dimwitted, but honestly the whole turn of events in the past few moments had sent her reeling.

"The way you were watching Mr. Altea back in the funeral home was quite telling. I've never seen someone's gaze so intently focused on another's back." The knowing smile that she shot Robin made her cheeks and ears redden. She'd been caught after all.

"That-That wasn't it! I swear… It isn't like that…" Robin let her sentence trail off, worrying at her lip in the process. There was no way it was like that. Not a chance. Thoughts of two nights ago came flooding back to her now, whether she wanted them to or not. Why was it that such a great day had to end like _that?_

"You hardly sound convinced. Did something happen?" The tone with which Camilla spoke almost reminded Robin of Aversa. Almost. It seemed that they both liked to press for information, but Camilla did it in a more familial way, whereas Aversa always seemed more concerned for the party's mutual interests rather than her sister's wellbeing.

"Well…I'm not sure if it's my place to say. I shouldn't burden you with my issues," she uttered.

Camilla let out a small chuckle, just barely a whisper of a breath easily lost in the late summer breeze. "My dear, please don't worry over me. Sometimes hearing out and helping others with their problems assists in distracting from your own conflicts at heart. It will be a good distraction."

She dared to look up at the woman next to her. Her expression was warm and inviting, but Robin caught the slightest glint of sorrow in her eyes. "Well, okay…"

* * *

Robin was starting to think that they had gotten lost. Here, the trees grew denser and overgrowth crowded the small dirt trail beneath her feet. She was glad that Chrom convinced her to wear jeans, or else her legs would probably be ridden with poison ivy and stinging nettle rash.

The florist plodded on ahead of her, only stopping to survey his surroundings every once in awhile before continuing onward. There were no visible trail markers or signs that Robin could see, so she was absolutely positive that Chrom was just being proud by pretending to know where the hell he was headed.

The two walked along like that for some time, silently dodging between foliage and branches. She would have appreciated the serenity that the deep woods offered if not for the fact that she was becoming increasingly concerned for their wellbeing. The sun had begun to set, orange-gold light breaking through the tree line, illuminating all manner of pollen and dust as it floated through the air. Paired with the ever growing shadows cast by the trunks of tall pines, the scene felt almost surreal. If not for the cracking twigs beneath her shoes, she'd have been convinced that she was walking through one of her novels.

"We're almost there, just a bit longer. I promise," Chrom assured her from over his shoulder.

"How is it that you even know where you're going?" she accused.

Chrom cast her a knowing glance and tilted his head toward a small shrub, dotted with small red berries, sitting just off of the path.  
"It's called cotoneaster. They grow around here sporadically, but after exploring this place a few times as a kid, I learned to use them as way markers. Their berries stand out in all the green, so they're good landmarks to lead the way."

Robin shot him a look as though he'd just grown a second head. "How many times did you get lost in the forest as a child?"

Chrom chuckled a bit, the sound reverberating from deep in his chest. "Oh, only about four times. After that, my parents started getting tired of sending out the search parties for me so they forced me to learn my way as long as I insisted on wandering off." Teasing was evident in his voice, but Robin supposed she was content with that answer. For all she knew, he could be telling the truth.

"So do you feel like telling me where we're going yet?" she questioned. Chrom didn't even turn to address her.

"You know, you ask a lot of questions. We should be there any moment, just _try_ to be patient." She could imagine the shit-eating grin on his face. He loved holding her in suspense apparently.

Robin settled back into comfortable silence, accepting that she may as well go along with him rather than give him anymore satisfaction over her growing curiosity. Instead she listened to the soft hum of insects high above her head in the boughs and branches. She should have brought one of the novels she left splayed open back on her bed.

"This is it." Chrom's voice rang with a hint of excitement, a warm glow apparent in his cheeks when he glanced back at her. He looked so boyish and innocent. The thought brought a smile to her face as she moved to stand beside him.

The towering trees fell back to reveal a large clearing, carpeted with a swaying blanket of green and gold. Large forms of rocks and toppled logs lay dormant beneath a heavy layer of moss, making Robin's mind see things that weren't really there. Hidden amongst the tall grass were bunches of purple and white, saxifrage and willowherb, littering the entire field. The evening sun cast everything in a radiant warmth, making the glade take on a white-yellow glow.

"I had intended to take you here for stargazing, but I suppose this isn't all that bad considering." Chrom settled himself at the base of a nearby stump, patting down the grass before motioning for her to follow. As she folded her legs under her, he began to pull dish after dish out from the small cooler. Chicken kabobs and pasta salad, paired with a white wine cooler and small mason jars filled with blueberry pie. Honestly it looked too good to be true.

"So how'd you manage to convince Frederick into making all this?" Robin queried, a single eyebrow arching upward. "I was under the impression that he didn't like me much."

"What? _No_. He was _ecstatic_ to find out that I've been hiding my fiancée's existence from him. You see, ol' Freddy the Weary _loves_ surprises." Chrom shot her a sarcastic grin before shaking his head, blue hair swaying gently like the wind-rustled flowers behind him. "But it probably didn't hurt that I threatened to give you food poisoning and possibly kill you with whatever I managed to cook. The only things that Frederick loves more than surprises are lawsuits, afterall," he chuckled.

"Ahhh, smart thinking. Though I'm a little hurt that he'd think I'd sue over something like that," she commented, sending him a sidelong glance.

Chrom simply shrugged. "Wouldn't be the first time it happened."

She rolled her eyes. "Somehow, that surprises me less than I thought it would," she said, grabbing her fork.

Robin let out a small sigh of relief, and plunged a bite of pasta salad into her mouth. The dressing paired wonderfully with the freshness of the olives and tomato, and the mozzarella melted in her mouth. She was in heaven. "Okay, maybe I chose to fake-marry the wrong guy. Why wasn't it Frederick who could have picked me up off the streets?" she pondered aloud.

Chrom seemed to take mild offense to that, eyes widening slightly while his mouth popped open in objection. The genuine hurt on his face almost made her regretful. Almost.

"Relax!" she giggled. "I'm kidding. I'm glad that we got to meet, even if you can't make me a proper waffle."

Chrom's bewilderment quickly morphed into an affronted scowl. Grabbing one of the kabobs, he tore into the meat with gusto. "It's not like he would have picked you up anyway…" he grumbled between bites.

The childish tantrum only served to delight Robin more. She reached forward and threaded her fingers into the hair at the top of his head, piecing through the obstinate strands. "There, there. No need to be jealous. I promise that you are the only guy for me."

Though she had only been joking, Chrom froze under her ministrations. He locked eyes with her, mouth hanging open in half chew and a violent blush danced across his cheeks. The rawness of the expression caught her unawares, and she quickly snatched back her hand as though it burned her. Maybe she had gone too far.

Chrom choked down the rest of his food, clearing his throat into his shoulder. "W-Well if you do end up running off with Frederick, at least promise that you'll have the decency to send cookies every once in awhile, okay?"

Robin clasped her fingers just a bit tighter in her lap, the feeling of surprisingly silky strands still prevalent on her skin. "Of course, I'm not a barbarian."

The rest of the evening went smoothly, though it had to be cut short by an onslaught of shivers that racked Chrom's body. His clothes were still hopelessly soaked, and the lack of sun in the sky drained all heat from his body. They desperately fought to find their way back to the main trail before they lost the last slivers of light that the fading horizon had to offer.

By the time they made it back to the parking lot, the night had long established its domain above them. Stars speckled the sky like a paint-flecked canvas, each one glimmering against the midnight blue backdrop. The image of Chrom sitting atop the motorcycle almost made her want to laugh. He looked like a soaked cat trying to maintain some sort of dignity after falling into the bathtub.

"Chrom, maybe we should stop somewhere to get you a change of clothes before we go back home. I don't think the ride would be very comfortable for you or me in your current state," she chuckled. She swung her legs over the back, careful to keep distance between her and Chrom's sopping jacket. "How about we just take a slow ride into town and look there?"

The florist let out a defeated sigh, shoulders visibly deflating. "Yeah, I suppose so. Sorry for this."

* * *

"I'm afraid I'm confused. Aside from the whole 'wet shirt' issue, nothing sounds particularly disastrous, at least not enough to put both of you in a mood," Camilla mused.

"No no no! That wasn't the issue. Everything up to then had been great! It was what happened afterwards that I feel conflicted on," Robin confessed.

"Did he pick out something atrocious to wear and embarrass you?"

Robin breathed a hollow chuckle. She wished it were that. She could have dealt with embarrassment. "No…He just…I- I don't know. I'm just so confused. What happened… honestly I probably shouldn't have acted like I did. But I'm not entirely okay with how he handled it either! So I just-!"

"Calm down there, Sweetie. It's okay. Just breathe and collect your thoughts." Camilla placed a steady hand on her elbow, gently guiding her around the corner and into the neighboring park. The air was slightly fresher here, though not by much. Still, she indulged herself with a few deep breaths.

"Are you sure it's okay that I continue? You really shouldn't be the one comforting me…" she mumbled.

"I am quite sure." Camilla nodded her head once, her voice taking on a surprising edge. The contrast to her normally soft lilt was jarring. "Robin. No matter who it is that you are talking to, no matter what they are going through at the moment, you have every right to feel sad for your own trials in life. Just because someone else is going through a tough time, that doesn't mean your own issues should be treated as insignificant. Because they aren't." The smile that the woman displayed was heart-wrenchingly sweet. It reminded her of her mother.

Before she could stop herself, Robin felt tears slide down her cheeks in thick rivulets, drops staining her cardigan. "I-I'm sorry," she muttered, hastily scrubbing at her face with the heel of her palm. "I don't know w-what's gotten into me. Just give me a minute and I'll-"

Robin's hasty mutterings were interrupted by the woman's unexpected embrace. "It's okay. It's okay," Camilla cooed, hugging the shorter woman close as though she were a child. Robin felt her breath shudder, and more tears began spilling down her face. She buried her head into lilac hair, muffling her choked sobs in Camilla's shawl. There were a few passerbys that looked on in curiosity, but they were quickly sent away with a sharp glare.

Robin was the first to pull away, wiping her nose on her arm.

"Do you still want to talk about it?" Camilla questioned softly.

After thinking about it, she gave a slow nod, and then another quicker one in self-assurance. "Yes." Robin hugged her arms a bit closer to her chest. "It's just that… and I know Chrom didn't mean anything by it, but for the first time since I've known him…he scared me. _Really_ scared me. And I…I just don't know what to do anymore…"

* * *

Robin sipped happily from the champagne glass that sat on the lacquered wood bar in front of her. She didn't know what the hell this was, but it was chocolatey, nutty, and tasted like figs and it was the best damned cocktail she'd ever had.

 _Maybe I could coax the recipe out of the barkeep…_

She hummed in thought but quickly trashed the idea, instead taking another drag on the straw. This was a 'sometimes' drink. If she had access to the recipe whenever she wanted it, she was bound to gain fifty pounds within the week.

The two had stopped at a small strip mall along the main street of Southtown. She had decided to check out a small pub called The Midmire, while Chrom picked out a new outfit in the second hand clothes shop next door. The place was definitely interesting. It had the atmosphere of an old tavern, but most of the stuff on the menu she'd never even heard of.

She stared on in mild awe as a waiter set down a wooden slab in front of the person seated two chairs over from her. Atop it was a piece of pecan-crusted Brie cheese served with a side of cranberry compote. The smell was heavenly. She wished that she'd known Chrom would take so long, she would have ordered something.

Instead she'd have to settle for another one of these cocktails.

"Umm… Excuse me…Bartender?"

The man, who had previously been working the ornately decorated taps at the end of the counter, turned to her. A knowing smile graced his lips when his scarlet eyes travelled down to the empty glass. "It's Joshua. You want another drink?"

Robin ducked her head sheepishly. "Please. If you don't mind my asking, what's in this?"

He walked over, red hair swishing behind him as he did, and leaned over the counter. "Well~ That's supposed to be a trade secret, but I suppose I wouldn't mind divulging that information for a bit of cash," he purred, eyes motioning to the tip jar. However, after seeing her hesitation, his smooth façade broke apart as he smiled wider. "Kidding. Actually, I'm not allowed to keep that information from you. You have every legal right to know what's in your drink, without charge," he chimed, winking in the process. "It's figcello and pecan bourbon, with walnut chocolate bitters. Pretty good huh?"

"A little too good," Robin chuckled, absentmindedly rummaging around in her bag in search of her wallet. Funny. She could have sworn she put it away after ordering the first drink. Her eyes scanned the bar counter and the surrounding area but still came up blank. Huffing in frustration, she went back to scouring the pockets of her bag, though this time with a bit more vigor.

"Looking for this?"

Two long, tawny fingers held a black leather wallet aloft, waving it slightly in the air. Behind the smarmy remark was a man with silvery hair that just barely brushed against his shoulders. One of his steel-blue eyes was obscured behind a sleek, black eyepatch, only managing to shield Robin from half of his arrogant gaze.

"Umm, yes. That's mine, and I would appreciate it if you'd kindly return it to me," she warned.

In response, the man flicked his hand and the wallet vanished seemingly into thin air. "Well that's no good. I can't have a lovely thing like yourself paying for another one of these overpriced chocolate milks. Please, allow me to cover it." He flashed a quick smile before eyeing the bartender.

Joshua simply shrugged and shook his head. "As long as I get paid, I don't really care who is doing it. Just make sure to not cause trouble for my bar." He took the piece of plastic that the thief extended to him, and returned to his place at the end of the counter. This left Robin stranded alone.

"Can I have my wallet back or are you intent on pulling off the most casual robbery in Ylissean history? I'll have you know that that won't end well for you. I have friends within the Y.P.D," she threatened.

"Calm down there, kitten. No need to get feisty just yet. I'll give it back after we both enjoy a drink, sound good?" he chimed, perching himself on the adjacent bar stool. Joshua returned with two drinks in hand, and placed them atop the counter. Robin snatched at her glass, while the intruder plucked up his martini and took a sip.

"I'm sorry, but I would really prefer to enjoy my drink _alone_. I don't entertain company with robbers." Robin gulped down her drink, hoping that the chocolate would smother all the curse words trying to claw their way out of her throat.

"Your words wound me," he cried, clutching his chest in mock pain. "How else was I to keep you from paying for your next drink? I am but a simple bar patron who only hopes to converse with a little snow bunny such as yourself. I really do find that white hair to be quite striking." He punctuated his point by leaning forward, face precariously close to her own, and bringing a strand of her hair up to his lips in a brief peck. "I'm quite harmless, I assure you," he whispered, the sound much too intimate in the closed space between them.

"Robin?"

Blue and brown eyes both snapped to the new arrival, both gazes landing on a thoroughly confused Chrom. He stood a good five feet away, clad in a blue plaid shirt and jeans, his half damp hair ruffled and frizzed. He shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other, hands clenched at his sides in restraint.

Robin quickly drew away, pulling her hair from the hands of the offender in the process. She received little resistance seeing as how the man's attentions were now trained on her blue haired companion. His mouth curved into a slow smirk, a low whistle escaping from his lips.

"Well, well, well. A handsome challenger approaches. Not that I mind the intrusion, of course. The more, the merrier as they say," he purred, eyebrows rising suggestively. Robin reddened at the insinuation behind his words. Chrom, however, didn't seem to notice as he drew closer, placing himself just behind her back.

"Do you want to head out? I'm all ready to leave when you are." Though he was talking to her, Chrom's eyes never left the other man. To Robin, he looked like a stubborn puppy glaring down a feral cat, his ruffled hair almost made him look like he was bristling.

"In a second. I just need to get my wallet back from him and then we can go." That got his attention. Chrom stared down at her incredulously.

"Why does he have your wallet?"

" _He_ has a name, you know," the man chimed in, taking another sip of his drink.

Robin rolled her eyes, brushing off the comment. "Honestly, I don't really know." She turned back to the one-eyed ass hat sitting on the bar stool across from her. "And if you don't mind, I do believe we've both 'enjoyed' a drink together, so I'd like my stuff back."

"Hmmmm~ But the night is still young, and you haven't even introduced me to your friend here."

That seemed to be the last straw for Chrom. He placed himself between the two, snatching the white haired man up by the collar. "Listen, I don't really give a damn about who you are. Give her back her money and leave her alone," he growled out through clenched teeth.

In response, the stranger gripped Chrom's wrists, squeezing down firmly. Chrom winced a bit at the sudden pressure, almost loosening his grip. "The name is Niles. And make me," he breathed.

That was the last thing Robin was able to catch before Niles went flying across the room. Chrom was on top of him before she could even blink. Several bar patrons abandoned their seats, retreating to the perimeter of the room where they could watch the unfolding events from a safe distance. Chrom was quite a bit larger than Niles, but from what she saw earlier, the latter was much stronger than he liked to let on. Robin's eyes darted across the room in search of a solution. Joshua had mysteriously gone missing in the time it took for the two to get from the bar to the middle of the room, and she doubted that she could intervene on her own without injuring herself.

"You know, I don't usually start with foreplay before having dinner first, but I think I can make an exception for you, as long as you invite your tasty looking friend along," Niles sneered, eyeing a distraught Robin as he jumped to his feet. It was obviously a taunt. One that Chrom fell for with blind rage.

He snarled as he swung first, just barely missing as Niles ducked backwards. Robin watched as he tried to land hit after hit, only for the thief to narrowly dodge away, out of his reach. His movements were too fluid, too practiced. He was obviously much more accustomed to bar fights than the florist was. If she didn't do something, she couldn't imagine this ending well. She just needed something to give her an edge. Anything-

Her thoughts were broken by a sharp and sickening crack. Glass littered the wooden planks of the pub floor. Her eyes traveled up to the two fighters, one staggering on his feet while the other stood back wearily. Blood as red as wine poured from Chrom's forehead, dripping down his face and muddying his bangs. Niles looked just as shocked as Robin was, his hand still wide open from when he dropped the empty beer bottle that he'd just brandished.

Time slowed as her feet moved out from under her, pushing her forward just as Chrom did the same. He lunged forward, fist held high as he threw Niles to the ground. Robin couldn't move fast enough. She needed to stop him. Before he hurt someone. Before he hurt himself.

She dashed forward, putting herself between the man who laid vulnerable on the floor and Chrom's fist. A million memories flashed through her mind. The image of a raised palm. The familiar pain of a stinging cheek or a bruised wrist. The hazy sight of her mother strewn across the ground, slightly obscured by the leg of the kitchen table. It was all too much. Too familiar. Her eyes clamped shut.

" _PLEASE STOP!_ " She lurched forward, burying herself into his chest. Her pleas came out muffled and choked. Tears streamed down her face as she pressed further into Chrom's shirt. He froze, staring down at her as though shocked by the sudden interruption.

Suddenly, all of his will to fight drained from his body, sucking away the last of his strength with it. Chrom slumped against her, making it hard for her to stay upright while bearing his full weight. Robin gently brought them both down to their knees, clutching at him and trying her best to keep him still his chest heaved.

She could get a clearer view of the damage now, his temple almost parallel to her eye as he rested his head on her shoulder. It was an ugly wound. The cuts were relatively deep and still spilling blood, the area around it already beginning to swell. This was bad. She was pretty sure that she wouldn't have to worry about any broken bones, but blood loss would be an issue. If Chrom passed out, she doubted that she could drag him to a clinic in time.

Her eyes landed on a few napkins that were bunched together on a nearby table. They had a few stains on them, but she didn't have any other alternatives. Picking out the cleanest one, she pressed the paper firmly into the wound. The napkin was quickly stained red, blood spreading outward like a blooming rose. She grabbed a few more to plaster over the first, pressing down with her palm to staunch the bleeding. Chrom's shoulders tensed from the sudden pressure, but he gave no vocal indication of dissent. Robin wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.

A small bout of coughing interrupted her train of thought. Niles was leaning back on his elbow, swiping at some blood beside his mouth. "Now I remember why I don't like being a bottom," he chuckled. He dug into his hoodie and pulled out the small bundle of leather. "A gift for protecting my only good eye."

He pulled himself back onto his feet, dropping the wallet onto the floor in front of them. "Make sure to find me if you two are back in town, I'd like to get to know the both of you better," he hummed, backing away slightly.

Robin felt at least ten vile comebacks crowd into her mouth at once, but she only had time to shoot the offender a cold glare before her focus was drawn to the low growl that echoed in her ear.

"L-Let go of me."

Chrom stirred to life, weakly protesting the hold Robin had on his shoulders and head. His gaze was still trained on Niles' retreating figure, one eye shut against the blood that had cascaded down his face. "I can still…"

"You can 'still' what? Fight?" The words came out harsher than she intended, but she could hardly pay any mind to an apology right now. "I pray to Naga you weren't about to say fight, because if so, you're even stupider than I thought."

Chrom staggered to his feet, Robin bearing most of his weight as he steadied himself.

"You can barely stand. And I'm not sure if you actually noticed, but he wasn't even taking you seriously. Please, just drop it." Robin pressed Chrom's hand up to the spot where she'd been holding the napkins, making sure that he kept them in place. She quickly grabbed up her wallet, scanning the contents for anything missing.

"Did you see the way he looked at you?!" He was fully awake now, though still a bit wobbly. "He was eyeing you like you were a piece of meat! Even if he _didn't_ steal your wallet, that guy still deserved a busted jaw!"

Robin looked around the room. Now that Niles had left, the two of them had become the main attraction of the night. So much for not causing a scene. After shoving her wallet back into her bag, she grabbed Chrom by the arm and turned him towards the door. The night air did it's best to cool her skin, but the emotions boiling inside of her burned relentlessly. The only thing she was glad for was the relative lack of activity outside. Other than a few stray cars on the road, they were alone.

Robin turned on him as quick as a viper.

"Listen. Even if he _was_ , he was looking at _you_ the exact same way, so I don't see how that should matter," she hissed.

"You deserve more respect than that, Robin! What was I supposed to do?! Stand there and watch as he degraded you?! I'm sorry, but that's not who I am."

"Trust me, I can handle it. I'm not some maiden in need of protection." Robin shed herself of her jacket, and propped herself up against the brick wall of the Midmire. The stone was cooling against her now bare shoulders, but did little to temper her attitude.

After rummaging around in her bag, she finally came up with a small sewing kit. Grabbing the pair of fabric scissors, she made quick work on the right sleeve of her hoodie.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"I'll pay back Maribelle later," Robin said, not bothering to look up. "For now, we need to get you some better bandages to help manage the bleeding. I don't know how to drive a motorcycle, and we both don't have enough money for an ambulance, should you pass out from blood loss." She sheared the sleeve down the middle, cutting it into two strips. She tied both pieces around Chrom's forehead, careful to keep the napkins in place. He winced as she secured the bandages with a tight knot, but made no other movement to stop her. Satisfied with her work, she stepped back and tucked the remains of the jacket into her bag along with her sewing kit.

Chrom's eyes refused to meet hers out of frustration. His teeth worried at his lip as though he had something to say but didn't know how to.

"If that's all, we should get going. Are you well enough to drive or do you still need a few more minutes?" Her tone was flat now, and she was too tired to be concerned.

"…You didn't have to ruin your jacket." She knew he was trying to sound apologetic, but for some reason, she found the statement completely infuriating.

" _Maybe_ if you'd have just thought things through for a change, I wouldn't have had to," she spat.

"I was just trying to help-" he argued.

"What would have happened if you'd gotten seriously injured Chrom?! What should I have done?!" The sudden accusation caught him off guard.

"Well-"

"You could have _died_ if Niles had had better aim! GODS! How could you be so _stupid_?!" She was yelling now, she knew. But she didn't care anymore. She was dangerously close to watching someone she cared for die tonight, and it would have been her fault.

"I'm sorry, I just-"

"Apologies don't cut it if you're dead Chrom! What would have happened to Lissa if something happened to you?! You need to consider your actions better." She turned her back on him and started toward the motorcycle. She didn't want to think about this anymore. She knew what it was like to be abandoned, she couldn't imagine bright and cheery Lissa having to go through that.

Just before she made it to the seat, she felt that familiar hand on her wrist. The one that, just earlier today, she'd happily gripped without a care in the world.

Chrom held her there mid-step, feet planted firmly to the ground. "I don't regret what I did, and I would do it again and again if the situation calls for it," he stated. "I would never be able to forgive myself if something happened to you, and I just stood by and watched."

Robin jerked her arm out of his hold, cradling it to her chest. His words burned her. Of all the things he could have said, that was what she feared most hearing. "Then you are far more foolish than I gave you credit for."

* * *

"And after that, it sort of just became hard to talk about. We've said hardly a word to each other since," Robin finished.

The two had finished their lap around the park and were slowly making their way back, both reluctant to meet what was waiting for them when they returned.

"I can understand why you'd be upset. My brothers-" she paused, the slightest hesitation of the tongue. "…They could get so stubborn over the stupidest of things. It's funny, but your description of Mr. Altea reminds me much of Xander, albeit a bit more…passionate. My brother was also quite protective of us all, most of the time edging into self-sacrificing."

"A-Ah, I see. Your brother sounds nice," Robin trailed off awkwardly.

"He was. He had one of the kindest souls I'd ever known," she confided. "But because of that, he often got himself into situations like the one you just recounted. I can understand your frustration."

White strands of hair fell into her eyes as Robin bobbed her head in a single nod. "How do you deal with someone who is so willing to throw themselves at danger for even the slightest of reasons? I've… I once had someone in my life who did the same, and she ended up getting injured protecting me. I just…I don't want what happened to her to happen to Chrom." Robin paused to side step a rather large puddle, her reflection flashing in the water as she did. "He's been so kind. He housed me, gave me a job, gave me food, and befriended me, all with no questions asked. How can I possibly continue relying on him when I know that he may end up hurt?" she concluded.

Camilla brought her finger up to her mouth, her manicured nail tapping her lip in deep thought.

"Do you want to hear my opinion on the matter?" Robin remained noticeably quiet, but the energy that hung on her frame like the morning fog was one of anticipation. She was waiting with a thoughtful ear turned towards the taller woman. "I think, that when you find someone who is willing to go so far for you, that you should cling to them desperately, with all your might. Don't waste time hesitating over unforeseeable futures and possibilities. Yes. There may be a day that one of you ends up hurt, but that pain is only proof that you were strong enough to care and to love."

"…And you think that taking that chance is worth it?"

Camilla giggled a little, and suddenly Robin felt very childish. "I do, and I think Mr. Altea has realized the same. Perhaps he's had enough regrets and simply didn't want you to be one of them."

Robin let her words sink in. He was always smiling and looking forward. It hadn't even occurred to her that he'd regretted anything before. "I guess I can see what you mean."

"For what it's worth, I think you two have more in common than you think. After all, why else would you have run headlong into the middle of that fight, knowing full well that _you_ could get hurt, if not to sacrifice your own wellbeing to protect his? Hm?" Her magenta eyes twinkled with mischief. Robin balked, blood violently rushing to her cheeks.

"I-I didn't-!" she rushed.

"No, I'm pretty sure that you did. Though I find it rather cute, that you are both so willing to recklessly disregard your own safety for each other. You two make a good couple," she sang.

Robin stumbled a bit, falling just enough behind in stride that she got whipped in the face by Camilla's windblown locks. "I assure you, it really isn't like that! Why would I fall in love with an idiot like him?" she defended.

At that, Camilla actually snorted. "Oh, I truly do pity Mr. Altea. Just make sure that you invite me to the wedding, once you two sort out your feelings."

Robin jogged to catch up to her. "What 'feelings'? I assure you, Chrom has the same propensity for romance as a brick wall. There's no way."

Camilla had to choke down a bout of laughter. If only the little bird had seen his face after she ran out of the funeral home. He'd practically lunged after her, worry clearly evident in his eyes. She released a long, drawn-out out sigh. "Oh dear. Seems like it may be a while until I receive an invite…"

Robin lightly shoved at the other's shoulder, doing little to unbalance the woman, despite her monstrous heels. She could feel the heat radiating from her face. Gods, she felt so silly.

"There you two are!"

The two women turned their attention towards the voice. Camilla held her hand over her mouth in playful surprise, her smile still clearly visible from behind her fingers. "Seems as though our presence has been missed."

Leo came running up the sidewalk, collar slightly out of place and sweat pouring from his temples. He came to a halt just a few feet in front of them, keeling over onto his knees to catch his breath. Camilla bent over him in motherly concern, gently rubbing circles into his back until the young man's breathing steadied. As soon as he was able, he lurched up, hazel eyes connecting with Robin's.

"I've-I've been looking for you," he heaved. "It's your friend. He's collapsed."

* * *

A/N: Ahahahaha...ahaha...aha..haaaaaaaaa... :'D

So I'm back from the dead with another chapter and this one was definitely a thing. A big thanks to Iturbide for beta reading this and giving me a ton of pointers, and another thanks to all my wonderful readers for the comments and support I've been receiving from you all! It was a really tough semester, and especially in the last month I struggled to find the energy to write, but it's cause of you guys that I was able to get this chapter out!

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, or at least didn't suffer too much in the process of reading it, and as always let me know what you think!


End file.
